By: Jennifer Bladykas
Posted In: Opinion
Photo credit: Erica Johnson
Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” However, I don’t think Mead estimated how much “changing the world” can change one person.
As I packed my bags on the Saturday before Spring Break, I dreamt of sunny beaches and an incredible tan. But as I stuffed my third pair of sweat pants in the trusty L.L. Bean duffle, I knew that dreaming was about as close as I would get to beaches and warmth on this spring break. My spirit dampened and I began to question my decision to attend the Alternative Spring break to Camden, N.J., the second poorest city in the United States. It was a last minute decision to attend, and although I was doubtful, I knew that it was something that would be an experience. I just don’t think I was ready for how powerful a change it could make. I arrived at the Romero Center with eight fellow women from Salve who had a vision of courage and compassion. As small as Salve is, most of them were strangers-faces in the hallway. Led by Sr. Marianna, we were joined by four other colleges from far and near: Washington, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Virginia. Groups of strangers united for one cause: helping the less fortunate. While our tasks were small — helping out in a food bank, painting an apartment of a formerly homeless woman or even sitting and talking with people at a day shelter — each one of us took to heart our connections with the world around us. Local citizens who want to see change explained the cycle of poverty to us during evening lectures. And each day began and ended with a group reflection and prayer. It was during those reflections that our little group of 8 tried to grasp the reality of life in Camden. Each day of volunteering became another struggle to grasp the vicious cycle of poverty. We wondered why we were blessed with so much and yet others had so little. But most of all, we learned about ourselves. Our little group of strangers grew into a family of friends, confidantes and mentors. We laughed until our sides ached and cried until our hearts broke. By the end of the week, I watched as layers of my apathy wore thin and my cynicism became hope. The people who I had come to serve ended up changing the way I looked at the world. And the strangers who I met on the van from Salve ended up becoming some of the closest friends I ever made in a week’s time. So, while I might not have had sunny beaches, I have walked away from this spring break with a new lease on life. I have made friends from both Salve and from around the nation, and well, I feel like it’s really possible to make change, as long as you have the motivation. As our leader, Brian, quoted from the Romero Center, “It is not by chance that we have gathered here together, it is one of God’s greatest gifts.” A gift, unlike a suntan, that will last me a lifetime.
