Features: A Message from Claes Nobel Meet your new Student Council Partner News College-Bound Advice Q & A on the SAT from the College Board Choosing a College Spotlight on Service Fulfilling F.U.N. at Day Camp for the Disabled Visiting the Philippines: A Life-changing Experience Non-Sibi: "Not for Oneself": Tsunami Relief Truths about Tutoring A Super Summer: Controlled Chaos at the Library Summer Experiences Summer Alternatives: Building the Mind AND the Body Summer Dreams: Friends and Fun at the World's Fair in Japan My Summer in Medical Research ICE in Summer: Georgia Tech Institute for Computer Education Learning about Leadership: National Student Leadership Conference Summertime... and the Living is Busy: from Houston, to Harvard, to Oxford Visiting the Philippines: A Life-Changing Experience Morgan Franklin Peninsula Catholic High School, Class of 2006 Newport News, Virginia Morgan with Filipino friend Morgan (far left) with Filipino children I have recently come home from an eighteen-day trip to the Philippines. The whole idea of the trip started just a few months ago. My best friend's family was moving there, and I was invited to go with them, as a vacation. When I made my reservations I only thought of white sand beaches, volcanoes, and of course, shopping! Then, I had no idea that it was going to be a life changing experience. I have to be honest; I am required to do twenty hours of community service for my school, Peninsula Catholic High School. It was literally days before I left that my mom and I thought it would be more interesting if I did them in the Philippines, with a friend. So when we arrived, we were assigned to volunteer at a Catholic Church, Our Lady of Remedies. I expected that I would just help out by organizing files, cleaning, and other busy work. The day before community service we had an interview with Celeste Sambale, the program coordinator. She told us that I would be working in the soup kitchen chopping vegetables. The next day I was nervous because I didn't know how to cut vegetables, as pathetic as that sounds. But to my relief, when we arrived, the food was already made. For five hours, I served children and senior citizens their meals, washed dishes, and cleaned up the kitchen. When I wasn't doing that I played with handicapped children in the nursery. After I had completed my five hours I was asked to help deliver milk to the school kids. I was indifferent about the idea. I really just wanted to go home and take a shower and besides, I had already signed out. But my conscience bugged me so I said yes, thinking it was only going to be a short little walk upstairs to the classroom. Boy, was I wrong! That was just one classroom. After that we had to undertake the most challenging walk I had ever done, one that I was certainly not prepared for. To get to the classrooms, we walked through the slums. It was worse that any picture I had seen, any story that I heard, and any thought that I could imagine. The stench alone was unbearable, but that was nothing compared to the animals and people lying on the ground. They were in such a state of despair that they didn't even bother to move. I had to walk with caution so I wouldn't step on them. The classrooms were small, dim rooms connected to the "homes" by steep stairways that I even had trouble going up and down. When the children saw us, they became crazy with excitement. They were so grateful for the milk, even warm, that we gave them. By the look on their faces, you would think we were giving them tickets to Disney World. It was on the walk back when everything dawned on me. All the kids and senior citizens that I had fed earlier had come from these dark allies that they called home. It was then when I asked myself not how little I could do, but how much I could do. In the days following, I started looking forward to going to community service. Along with working in the soup kitchen, I did other activities. One day I got to work with young kids and taught them how to sing "Jack and Jill." They loved the lyrics, especially when Jack broke his crown! Another day I wound up teaching the Electric Slide to teens at the center in a ballroom dancing class. But the most I did was on the last day of community service. That was when Celeste talked so passionately about her community. I had to try hard to hold back tears, especially when she started to cry. She informed us that they only have two workbooks and the children had to make their own copies at a rate most of them couldn't afford. My friend and I volunteered to make the copies for them. After much difficulty, my friend and I accepted the fact that the closest thing to Kinko's was literally two obsolete copiers on a street corner. Twenty-four hours later and eighty dollars of our own shopping money spent, we proudly delivered the books. It was a great day! We were invited to a fruit and vegetable hat parade where the children wore their hats decorated with pieces of fruit and vegetables. We were honored to be asked to have our pictures taken with the kids. After spending a majority of my trip at the center, I will always keep their community in my heart. I will strive to find ways where I can continue to help them and hopefully inspire others with my story. << Back to Journal Home page