Tales From The Front: Volunteering in South Africa

In a world completely different from the one I was accustomed to, I found myself in a small town in the north of South Africa to embark on a journey I wouldn’t soon forget with 360° Student Travel.

It was a beautiful July day. Although winter at the time, the sun blazed down upon Shileski’s primary school, illuminating the fresh coat of paint my peers and I had decorated across the previously baren school. Having almost completed our mission of brightening up the neglected K-7 school, my service partners and I took a moment to step back and reflect on the work we had accomplished during our stay in Acornhoek. Our bodies were covered in dirt and fresh paint, which was visible evidence of the work we had put forth and accomplished.

I had never really done community service before the trip. But I had an urge for adventure and wanted to experience the continent of Africa in every way possible. In some ways, service is really a selfish act. The feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction after making a difference is worth more than anything money can buy. This was a realization Shileski helped me make.

An hour before we were scheduled to return to our lodge for sleep, our projects were fully completed, and all that was left to do was wait for the principal to unlock the school’s gates so we could safely return back. As we waited for the principal to arrive, we noticed numerous groups of children lined up along the barbed wire fence, begging for us to come play. Because of the language barrier that separated us, we had trouble explaining to the children we did not have the key to open the gate. Once we expressed this explanation in a way the children could understand, they weren’t inclined to accept this statement. Since they were not able to cross the gate to play with us, they chose instead to hold our hands through the small holes of the barrier that so unfortunately separated us.

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By giving the children such basic human contact, their faces lit up in joy. It didn’t matter what different backgrounds we came from, what age we were, or even the rusted fence that separated us, the children were perfectly content to stand on the other end of the fence holding our hands. Without the use of words or language, we found a way to connect with the children and form true relationships with them as well. The differences that may have been able to separate us dissolved away and let us form unforgettable friendships.

While holding the children’s hands, I remembered a piece of advice our 360° Student Travel leader Jasmine had given us. She told us, “Instead of focusing on the things that separate you from others, focus on the things that connect you.” After feeling the reality of this statement, I can honestly say it is something I brought back with me from that trip. Another powerful piece of advice our leader gave to us was that “Once we replace the power of greed with the power of love, we will achieve world peace.” On a small scale, I believe this is something all of us experienced on the life changing Africa Community Service trip.

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