Why I Lead

There are several reasons I am really interested in leading a break trip. Ever since the spring semester of my sophomore year, I cannot ever go back going home over another fall or spring break again. This is not because I don’t like being home, but is because I want to make the most of every opportunity to challenge myself to serve. Going on these break trips has been moving to me but being able to lead a break trip is a whole new exciting challenge in itself. Ever since my first trip to Ft. Smith Arkansas, I have not been the same. This trip opened my eyes to the issues of poverty, redefined what I believed to be a good community, and showed me the potential that I had to make a change in the world. This first trip stuck me so deeply that in many aspects of my life my opinions had done a full 180 and put life into perspective for me. I finally saw what so many other students and faculty member of the Villanova Community saw. After a whole year of feeling overwhelmed and a little out of place, I finally felt at home here at Villanova. My first trip exposed me to so many caring and genuine people and two trips later, I feel as if I am in the center of the amazing break trip community here at Villanova. After this first trip I remember telling my parents that I wanted to serve on every break trip until I graduate. Two trips later I feel the same way. On my second trip I found myself discovering new things about the two different trips. I started picking things I liked about the two very different leading styles that my first and second trips had as well as the differences in reflections. This was the first moment that I realized why I was figuring all this out in my head. I wanted to lead. With Paul on my first trip and my second trip to Marion South Carolina, I was able to talk to Paul about these differences. We both shared what we thought were the core ideals that we thought made a good Habitat Trip. After talking to Paul I knew who I wanted to lead a trip with. I didn’t know when I would be ready, because after my second trip, I knew I wasn’t quite ready but I wasn’t sure exactly why. On my third trip to Franklin West Virginia, my mission was to determine if I thought I was ready to lead or not. Again I made these comparisons of different leading styles and choices. I had a clearer image in my mind of what I wanted to focus on when I lead a trip. As the week went on, I felt as if I had a significant presence in the group. When I talked, people listened. When I set an example, people followed. When we reflected, I knew what the real message and purpose of the reflections were. Even knowing the purpose or core messages behind the reflections, I wanted to hear what my new group had to say about everything before I offered my input. This was sometimes challenging but it was very rewarding to see the group develop together and find the purpose and message behind the reflections. After this third trip, I totally get the meaning of these break trips. I completely understand Habitat for Humanity’s mission and feel as if I can do a good job representing them as a student leader.
Another main reason why I want to lead is because I absolutely love working with Habitat for Humanity. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed with the amount of generosity, love, and appreciation from all the communities I have served with. What makes this such a good system is that I felt the same way about the community. For sharing their homes, their meals, their stories, and their pain with us. For taking the time to teach us, about poverty, family, community, and even how to hammer a nail without hitting our thumb. I have appreciated everything these Habitat for Humanity communities has done for me and I know the feeling is mutual with them. I have described this work as a complete win-win situation because of this mutual appreciation from both sides of the organization. This is like an infinite energy source for me, and I can’t wait to make one of these amazing experiences our own. I want to discover my place in the break trip and service community here at Villanova. I appreciate the service break trip community at Villanova so much and I really want to give back, which makes me so excited to lead a break trip with Paul.