I have helped build my community in various ways including: decorating Hulen Park for Christmas, assisting an annual Children’s Advocacy Organization dinner, supervising bingo nights, helping build houses after Hurricane Katrina, and much more, but the most rewarding community activity I have completed is volunteering for Cook Children’s hospital. My job as a volunteer was to entertain the children at the hospital whether they could leave their rooms or not and allow the parent’s to take a coffee break or go get clothes from home. Even though I called it a job, it was not a job to me; I loved being around the children and allowing them to act as any child would their age. I could tell that when they had company, they didn’t think about the disease they had or all the cords engulfing them; they thought about what little children were suppose to think of.
I enjoyed loving and playing with the children in the hospital, but I didn’t understand what my service meant to them until I met a vibrant, outgoing young girl no older than ten. I met her as I was checking with parents to see if they wanted to take a break. As I got to her room, her parents were pleased to have time to go home and wash some clothes and run errands. She had no problem making new friends, for, before I knew it, we were best friends. She told me about all her friends at home and how she missed not being able to play with them. Just hearing her talk, really changed my point of view on life. My age, being closer to hers than that of her parents, made it much easier for her to communicate. This fact was not just true for her, but true for all the children and families I had interacted with. As for the parents, sometimes they just needed to get out of the small hospital room or go run errands and I was there to allow them to do that. After talking and playing games with the little girl, I began to realize that God allowed me to be a friend and a mentor to these sick children as they go through their unimaginable struggles.
Through God’s guidance I was and am still able to help my community as I volunteer at Cook Children’s Hospital. Here, I can help my community by assisting the children and their families in any way I can. I am proud to be a part of this program, for I have learned that by being selfless I have helped myself to create my character as an individual.