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You Are the Gift

Upon arriving in Merida, I was initially very nervous about the language barrier and how I would be able to provide help to the people at the food bank if I could not communicate with them well. I was anxious about the communication - I lacked Spanish skills and would not be able to voice my opinions and concerns in ways that the others could. The food bank was looking for volunteers to address their issues, helping the five departments come together and combat these issues efficiently. I knew that I would not be much help in this department and I began to question my position at the food bank. I did not have the abilities that the food bank desired whereas other volunteers seemed to fulfill these wishes perfectly.

"Turning Enemies into Friends" by Sharon Eubank expands on the meaning of humanitarian experiences and what we, as volunteers, provide during these experiences. As I thought about the words shared by Eubank, my view of the food bank and my role there began to change. I took a step back, thinking about who I am and what my strengths are.

Sure, I cannot speak Spanish fluently. Yeah, not one person the food bank spoke a lick of English. Big deal. I was in Mexico, devoting my time to these people, and I decided to make the best of my situation and take advantage of the opportunity. I was with two other BYU students who were always willing to help and translate. I have a passion for and knowledge about human nutrition. I am a dedicated person and am never ready to give up on something because it is hard. I was a gift to these people at the food bank, and even though I didn't know it at the time, I would make a lasting impact.

I did not begin to recognize who I was to the food bank until my last week there. The ladies in the food bank office loved my height, my smile, and surprisingly, my lack of Spanish skills. Thankfully, I began to understand a lot of what they were saying. The last week, one of the ladies, Deni, was constantly calling me into her office to ask me a question or tell me something funny. She was always giving me a hard time, taking photos of me when I was not looking and then laughing so hard at them. They loved that I never missed day at the food bank - they recognized how I loved them and cared for them even though I never voiced it. I originally thought that to make an impact at the food bank I would need to be constantly involved and speaking Spanish, but I was so wrong. My presence, smile, and dedication to the project proved to make an impact. Through this experience I recognize that regardless of who you are and what abilities you have, you always have the ability lighten someone's load and make their day brighter.



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