Reflection from a Volunteer

A Home Away From Home

It’s been said that “home is where the heart is”, but I never quite understood what that truly meant until the Spring of 2008 when I spent a week in Salem, West Virginia, one of the poorest districts in the country. Having been raised in the Bronx, to me home was basically a safe haven from the cruel world we live in; a place where I rested my head at night, did my homework and all the other daily routines of life.

“Welcome Home!” – these were the first words I heard when we arrived at Nazareth Farm, the place we would call “home” for the next week as we helped to repair homes that were condemned by the City of Salem, West Virginia. One week of hard work, teamwork and spiritual growth would be the week that would change my life forever.
During this week, myself, along with 11 others from my school and 40 others from Tennessee, New Jersey and Washington D.C. would become a “family,” and Nazareth Farm, our “home”. We worked on many different homes and visited many different people in the area. As part of our service, we learned to put up ceilings, gutters, siding and floors. At “home” we cooked, cleaned and welcomed our workers back home.
Nazareth Farm was a home of complete simplicity that included no electronics – no cell phones, no iPods, not even a watch – none of the things that made me feel at “home”. Not having all of these electronic distractions allowed me the time I needed to focus on what really mattered in life. We were all there, together, to form one family – coming from all different walks of life, with very different backgrounds, we lived together and worked to help others one step at a time.

Through this experience, I have learned that I am a lover, a helper and a friend. I am someone who can make a difference in the world - and will do just that - one day at a time. I am me and through my experiences, I know I can make a difference in this world by showing everyone that small actions make a huge impact.

- Rosa Maria