New Perspectives

Well, the trio has arrived back in Canada safely, even after flying for what seemed like (especially at the end) far too long! Even with life here back in full swing with what seems daily, more and more things on the "to do" list, one thing that seems not to escape my notice is the changed perspective through which I view pieces of the familiar, much the same world to which I returned.

I would never really have defined myself as a "kid" person before the trip, although I would also not define myself as being a anti-kid person either, quite obviously I wouldn't have been volunteering at an orphanage if this had been the fact. However, I would have always defined myself as a caring person.

In my mind this is essentially the common thread that it all comes down to. Everyone in our lives needs to be shown care and in turn feels the necessity to care for others in their lives. This is an immaterial part of ourselves that we can always give to others, with the only question being whether we are willing or able to. Knowing that I was a caring person is what provided me with the confidence to make the huge decision to be able to volunteer abroad. I knew that there would be countless unknowns, communication issues and hurdles in the process, but in the end all that mattered was that I had the tools to be able to do ultimately what was the most important...show the children we worked with that unconditionally someone cared for them. This is a powerful feeling we all know, in some form or another by for instance being asked how our day was or by experiencing that random act of kindness.

I would definitely like to think that I had an impact (however small or fleeting) upon the lives of those people we encountered both at the orphanage and through the CCS program. Everyone had a different story to share and there were always new, intriguing perspectives to be learnt about and from. Everyone in our lives has something to offer, if we just slow down and take a breath long enough to listen to what it is. The children at the orphanage had plenty to offer in their own right, as the innocence of a child can show you many things no other person in your life can. They don't feel sorry for themselves or lament the circumstances of their life or existence...they simply look at the world as a place of joyful things, somewhere to explore and have fun in. One thing I simply will never forget is the looks on their faces and open arms when we'd arrive in the morning.

So even as life seems to have accelerated back to its usual hurried pace, I can say without doubt that I look at things within it through a new perspective. But, the tricky thing is how to put it all into words that would do the experience I had justice, a far move difficult thing than I could have ever anticipated. Hence, this is were I would like to extend an invitation to all our readers, family and friends. Find me on Facebook, give me a call if you've got my number or stop me on campus or back in good ol' Lac La Biche to chat about the trip as there is so much more to tell than any blog or newspaper article could ever convey...I know it would be a pleasure to speak with each and everyone of you. I would also like to send out a grateful thank you to all those family members, friends and random internet followers who have accompanied us through their readership on this journey.

-Kelli