Day four in Asheville consisted of education. Today our team visited Loving Food Resources and WNCAP (Western North Carolina AIDS Project), two organizations that serve people who are living with HIV and AIDS. We were able to tour and learn about each organization and the different needs they meet within the community. By the end of our visit, each of us left with more knowledge on a topic that is often stigmatized.
Our afternoon consisted of seeking out waterfalls, and souvenir shopping in the little mountain town of Brevard, North Carolina. The temperature was also the warmest we’ve seen all week (44 and sunny) so overall it was a great day. In our evening reflection we discussed the differences between helping, fixing, and serving in terms of how we see the world and engage in our communities. I’ve listed the definitions below if you’re interested:
“Helping– when you help, you work to strengthen something that is perceived as weak. Helping is not a relationship among equals. Helpers see others as weaker than they are… in helping, we run the risk of taking away from others more than we could ever give – diminish self-esteem, their sense of worth, dignity.”
“Fixing– involves mending something that is perceived to be broken. We respond with our expertise. Fixers trust their own expertise but may not see what others bring, their gifts. We are sure we are always right.”
“Serving– involves wholeness and seeing the connections among all people. This is the notion of caring that Nel Noddins writes about: When serving, we serve who we are – with our weaknesses, wounds, and strengths. Pain can be a source of compassion, my woundedness the the key to my empathy. Serving is a relationship among equals – our service strengthens us as well as others. In serving, we recognize that our humanity is more important than our expertise.”
Based on these definitions, it is easy to identify Loving Food Resources and WNCAP as organizations that strive to serve others, rather than helping or fixing them. Both of these non-profits in the Asheville community serve those living with HIV and AIDS by meeting people right where they are. There is no judgement, and there is nothing to be ashamed of.