Elise Granger, a senior at the University of Alabama, is another one of our GO: Again students as she traveled on LEAD Greece last year and joined on Cape Town Direct this year. Check out her blog to learn about the power of service across different programs!
A different country, a new perspective. Throughout my Go Global experience, I have been forever touched by the people, the cultures but most importantly the service. Last summer I traveled to Greece with Go Global and this summer I was fortunate enough to go on Direct to Cape Town. With the differences in the time abroad, I knew that there would be a new dynamic, but I could not quite put my finger on how it truly would be.
With the consistency of Go Global, I was aware that the program would touch me, but wasn’t quite sure how I would be moved.
While in Greece, my LEAD group assisted a program similar to a “Boys and Girls” club. We entered the community and were shocked. The building was filled with books, tables and an overpowering amount of kids and love. As we glanced around the property trying to see where we could be the most help, we quickly realized Myrta, the owner, had a basement filled with donations of clothing for the children piled high to the ceiling. This is when we decided our mission: to organize and sort the large abundance of clothes that she usually spends 2 months in the summer sorting. After 5 days of assembly lines, deciphering which clothes belong to what age, and an unfortunate cleaning of black mold… We successfully helped Myrta and her organization. We did work that takes her months, in just days. The smile that she had, the happiness we felt- was unforgettable. Our Greece service was a tangible, visual help project that truly touched Myrta and her family’s lives.
As I set off to Cape Town this summer, I knew the service was different, but I was not positive in what way. For me, I have had countless friends come on this trip before and tell me about Sir Lowry’s Pass, but I was not sure exactly what we would be doing. As we arrived and our bus was swarmed with kids, I realized my heart would be touched. The service we did in Cape Town was not tangible. We could not see what we accomplished, but we could feel it. Although we only had 3 days in the village, we were able to share love, the gospel, and become kids again as we were welcomed with open arms.
The service on the trips differed immensely, not one better than the other. It has been an amazing ride being on a second trip with Go Global. The program has taught me more about myself and the world than I could ever have imagined. No knowledge like this can be found in any classroom.