October 4, 2018 || #ForEveryChild with Benjamin Perks
It was 8:00 pm and, like most of the events I attend in college, I spontaneously walked across campus to a unknown building for a possible speech/activity, and–like always–I was not disappointed. I spent an hour learning from Mr. Benjamin Perks, a UNICEF Representative currently based in Macedonia, as he taught a group of 20-some strangers about children’s standards of living and the lack of care they were given. With this, I had 3 main takeaways:
- As of 2019, I plan to pursue a career in infectious disease prevention in children,
- I am immensely grateful for the people who surround me and provide support that many other people don’t receive, and
- You learn best from those you love because you can respect them. These were Mr. Perks closing words as he recounted his experience growing up as a juvenile delinquent and the process of becoming the person he was that day with the help of his school teacher. That night, as I walked back to my dorm, I impulsively called my mother (this was the first time I called anyone since I arrived at college in August) to tell her about what I learned. It went something like this: “Don’t worry, I’m not in danger,” I prefaced as it was very late and the first time I’d called her, “I just came from a lecture about mistreated children.” At this point, she was probably wondering why her eldest child called to discuss mistreated children… but I quickly assured her, “I’m not saying I was abused or ever felt mistreated, but I actually felt the opposite.” I went on to tell her about what Mr. Perks told me, “I wanted to tell you that you are one of the most impactful people I have ever known. I have learned so much from you and I see you as my greatest role model. I was told that we learn best from those we love… and I wanted to let you know I learn the most from you.” I can’t remember the last time I told anyone I loved them and, technically, I still haven’t let those words come from my mouth. But the implied meaning of my final statement let her known how much I love her.
I realized the amount of love I received as a child is not a common treatment for children around the world. #ForEveryChild unites people around the world to share their stories on the theme: What I want for every Child. Every child has the right to receive a disease-free childhood and a life full of love and respect, and I hope to make an impact on those around me to uphold this belief.
