When people hear what I’m currently doing in Romania, a lot of people ask “isn’t it hard?”
Yes it is, is the simple answer! I think there is a never-ending sadness to seeing other people being treated as they are, it is not something I could ever get used to. I hope I don’t. It’s not something you perhaps should get used to. The shock and recoil at some of the things I see are motivating factors to spur you on.
But when did something being difficult actually stop you from doing it? Because the most rewarding things for me are the ones I fought for, the ones where being stubborn and angry at how things were being done paid off… eventually. When things get really difficult and my mind feels full of frustration at what I have witnessed or heard, I comfort myself with the thought… At least I can do something about it. Because if I wasn’t here then it wouldn’t get done, or get done in the way I would like it to. It is empowering to know that you can positively impact someone, I think it’s harder when the situation is dis-empowering and you have to walk away knowing that nothing much has changed.
I really value what the 240 individuals think of me once I have left. Did I improve things for them at an individual level for the hour a week in which they saw me whilst I was there? Did I also improve things for the wider group, made things more bearable and improving conditions? As they’re the ones left behind they’re the ones that matter. Yes it might be difficult for me to witness stuff, but they’re the ones that have to live with that existence day in and day out, year after year.
Come volunteer to help improve these wonderful people’s lives
StephThought 