Final Reflection

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For my semester project, I attended the Buck-I-Serv trip to Birmingham, Alabama. This Buck-I-Serv trip was dedicated to Habitat for Humanity and involved repairing, furnishing, and construction of homes in the Birmingham region. The trip spanned from December 17th through the 23rd, with four eight-hour work days and one free day to explore the city of Birmingham. Each day involved different types of construction work and labor, with thirty-two hours of service in total. I had many different expectations that were met and not met throughout the trip. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the trip was the work itself. Since it was a Habitat for Humanity trip, I was prepared to swing a chainsaw around, hammer foundation, and break down structures with a sledge-hammer. However, the work I found myself doing the most was simply painting. This meant painting walls, ceilings, doors, and trims resulting in a new found wait for wielding a paint brush. What I didn’t realize is that a huge aspect of home construction isn’t exactly the construction itself, but the furnishing, cleaning, and maintenance. Though these jobs were initially less enticing then using a miter saw to build foundation for home, I learned an immense amount of skills. I never knew how to tile a floor, or even pondered the concept, but during four hours of tiling kitchen floors in thirty-five-degree weather, I learned a lot. However, I think that perhaps the greatest thing I took away for this trip is my newfound perspective on service itself. On one cold Alabama morning, we were sent to a completely finished house, and were given the task of raking leaves and painting a back deck. I remember initially being upset that my task was so insignificant, that my labor and workforce should be used for something more fulfilling. As I started raking leaves for the old woman who lived in the house, I realized that this was still service in its own way, and most importantly: Somebody has to do it. And that is what was most fulfilling about Alabama, I learned that everyone can help in their own way, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

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