It is not just about me! by Tyler

It is not just about me! by Tyler - September 2015 Scholarship Essay

For the past 3 summers, I have spent a week in Philadelphia with my church youth group. We evangelized under-privileged children and adults by playing games and having conversations.

Before we went on these trips we were told to expect the unexpected. We were taught to be aware of our surroundings and not to put ourselves in harm way. The trainers said not to wear certain clothing or bring certain items with us that would attract attention. These children and adults do not have the everyday essentials that I have and I take for granted. Each day my group of kids would go to a park in Philadelphia and play basketball, face paint, draw on the ground with chalk or just talk with the children or adults. We brought with us new basketballs, crayons and chalk that many of us paid for out of our own pockets. We would arrive each day around 9:30am and leave around 3:30pm. Unfortunately we could only come for one week but each day these kids or adults would show up at the park waiting for whatever group was assigned to come that day. It was my pleasure to arrive well rested and ready to play and show love to children who might not get the love at home. I have been one of the oldest in this group for the past three years and I know that my pastor looks to me to be the example or role model for the rest of the group. I try to show the other kids in the youth group that these kids are just like us and that we need to treat them the same way we want to be treated. Before we went I was given large grocery bags of samples of hotel sized toiletries; such as shampoo, conditioner, soap and body wash and at the end of each day I would give these items out to the kids or adults who would ask for them.

One incident that stuck out in my mind occurred while I was pushing a child with special needs on the swing. Another boy came up to us while he was swinging and asked if he could have a try. The boy initially refused, so I talked to him and told him how important love and kindness is. A few minutes later, the boy got up and called the other child over. He not only let him swing, but he also pushed him on the swing. C. S. Lewis said “Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of a man he is.” It was genuinely life-changing to see a new friendship arise in front of my eyes.

My parents always taught me to be proud of who I am and what religion I am. I was taught to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, in the Bible it says “ Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who need an advocate… “ Proverbs 31:8 I feel as though these past three summers have been a wonderful lesson for me to be the best I can be. I am now a Freshman in a new city starting a new path. I have so many opportunities I never saw before. I was put on this Earth for a reason and I must not hamper this.