So if there’s anything I have learned from the trip it’s this: Sue, one of our advisors, loves “Low” by Flo Rida and dances really well to it. Of course that’s not the only thing I have learned but it is the funniest. This trip is hard to put into words because I came in not knowing what to expect, because I have never been on a trip like this, but I was able to be connected and open minded to others like never before. What’s so unique about this trip is that we are all so different as people, but come together and are able to serve others in big ways. We have so much diversity between majors that it’s great to see such a huge passion for kids in all of us.
The days have flown by and I can’t believe our stay here in Dallas is almost over. As I look back the days felt long because we fit so much into them, with service in the morning at Wesey-Rankin or Jonathan’s Place, then service at Wesley-Rankin with the after school program. I will always wish I had more time with them because they touched my heart in many ways. One little girl at Wesley-Rankin earned a place in my heart with her sassy personality and big smile. She told me I look like Taylor Swift, which I look nothing alike, and even offered to share her goldfish with me. Now, I don’t know about anyone else but if someone shares their food with me, we’re best friends instantly. The girl was shy at first but I was able to coax some answers out of her and soon we were talking about Tom Brady and whether or not she thinks he’s a great quarterback. At the end of the day she told she wouldn’t be back the rest of the week and got really sad. So I was ecstatic to see her the next day and we hit it off again. We became close and so Wednesday came and I told her I had to go. She started bawling and asked me not to. This was the first time I felt like I had made a real connection, like she truly wanted me to stay and play with her. She ended up coming Thursday and we got to hangout more and exchange info so we can be pen pals. I look forward to keep our friendship going and hoping to be someone she can turn to for anything. I think all children need someone outside their hectic lives they can turn to that will just listen and be there. I would love to be that person for this little girl so I am very excited to see how it develops.
Jonathan’s Place really opened my eyes to the reality of the foster and CPS system. Although I know that families get separated and ripped out of their homes in the middle of the night, this was the first time I saw this in action. Jonathan’s place has great facilities for the children and they offer a lot of opportunities. Although they are very strict and run things a certain way, but they do have rules to follow. A girl and her little brother stood out to me the first morning so I was able to interact with them and learn more about their story. The little boy shared the story and it is something that changed how i was viewing things. We played games and you could tell the girl felt in charge of the boy and was constantly looking out for him, almost like she took on the mom role. I talked about them at reflection that night, their story really impacted me, and so I was excited because I wrote the girl a letter, hoping to make her feel good. The next morning we went in to see them and I noticed she was gone. I asked about her and they told me she was into a foster house but they separated the brother and sister. I had to step away and gain control of myself because my heart literally broke in two for them. I loved that they got a foster home but the idea of them being apart just made me so sad. They deserve to be together after everything they have been through. Although that’s the reality of the system and it happens all the time to many families. There is a huge need for child advocacy and I would love to be able to help, and so this trip has made me look into something like Jonathan’s place in Springfield, MO. I believe I have gained so much from this trip and I can’t wait to keep applying what I have learned and continuing my connections with these awesome kids!! I’m pumped for our free day today!