Just like Pippa Biddle, I have been on a few different service trips abroad. Biddle stated that her being there was almost the same as her not. I agree that if you show up unprepared and unskilled in what you are there to accomplish, it is better to send over the funds instead. If someone is truly looking to make a difference, they should look for an opportunity that they are trained in and fully prepare themselves before arriving. The service group that I work with has the goal of bringing hope to small villages around the world through reading. The purpose of each trip is to not only build a library, but instill a reading culture in the community. Biddle mentioned that during her trip she did the hard labor of building a library, but the locals would go and fix it afterwards. What my service group actually does is send over the funding to have the village build the library prior to their arrival. This gives the village a sense of involvement and ownership over the library. Once the group arrives, they put together the inside of the library while also focusing attention on creating a reading culture. They do this by holding classes and visiting homes within the community. After the week is over, the group continues to monitor the library’s book usage through a computer system. Service can be both hindering and beneficial to the communities involved and Biddle’s points got me thinking how I can continue to serve in ways that I know will be beneficial.
