An experience never to be forgotten…

In the Summer of 2010, I went on a service trip to the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico to help out the kids in different things.
When I arrived at the reservation, I noticed many things that would I would never forget. First, was how barren the land was. These Navajo natives lived in such terrible condition where it rarely rained. Every house wasn’t even a house, and it wasn’t even a trailer either. It was just bunch of stones, pieces of metal, and boards put together to create some type of living space. Everyone had limited water and the living conditions were incredibly harsh.
When I met the kids at the Navajo Reservation, everyone looked happy to see us. A fellow Baruch student Peace and I helped many of these kids in their math skills, art skills and other type of skills. We were in charge of sixth graders and during our time with them, we created a close bond. As we got to know them more, Peace and I began to realize that all these kids, though uneducated, had imaginations, thoughts and dreams, just like us. They weren’t just some crazy people who were driven off into a reservation, but they were actual human beings who were forced to live in this kind of situation. One student even wrote us a poem about his dreams of becoming one of the top writers in the country. Peace and I looked at him with a smile and encouraged him that if he worked hard, he can achieve his dreams, but deep inside we knew that this dream had almost a nothing chance of becoming achieved. These kids were too underprivileged and education wasn’t something that was offered to them in abundance.
This realization of the hardships of these kids in the reservation angered me about our country. I couldn’t understand why the government could not provide these people with the things that they needed. I understood that they do get supplies and food from the government, but I knew that it wasn’t enough for these people to live a “normal” American lifestyle.
During the trip, I also met an old lady who was saddened from her son running away from home. She said he hasn’t returned in eight years and she worries for him and misses him. I did my best to comfort her and encourage her that everything will be okay.
This experience truly humbled the way I saw things in this world. I began to realize how selfish I was to complain about every little thing such as why I didn’t have nice clothes, the latest technology, and why I couldn’t get an expensive dinner. These Navajo kids barely had clothes that they can rotate on, they didn’t have any technology, and a lot of times, they had to starve because there wasn’t enough for for the whole family. As I learned these things, I became more thankful for the family I have and all the opportunities i have to even get an education.
This experience was touching and my heart goes out to every Navajo in this nation. It was definitely an experience never to be forgotten.