Unexpected Heroes by Ashley V.

Have you ever had a defining moment in your life that made you question everything you’ve done? Made you question the type of person you are? Have you ever wondered why you aren’t “that person”? Do keeping wanting for more, when you already have so much?

Last night I experienced ‘that’ defining moment in my life that made me question everything I have ever done. I had the opportunity to feed the homeless with Rock for Hunger of central Florida. I must be honest and say that I wasn’t doing this to be admirable. As part of the rubric for one of my classes at UCF, I must volunteer 15 hours through a service learning project so I chose Rock for Hunger. What I thought was just going to be an hour downtown volunteering turned out to be so much more…

Immediately upon arriving, I was shocked to see so many volunteers. Yet, there were two that really stood out. They were two little boys, one 7 and the other 8, who were brothers. Even more shocking, one of the boys told me about how he raised over three hundred dollars for a non-profit agency by having people pledge money at his baseball practices. Also, by setting up a lemonade stand he was able to donate over one hundred dollars! I found these little boys so inspirational. At such a young age, these boys see a problem in our community that so many people are blind toward. Even more surprising, not only do they realize a problem, but they have decided to do something about it!

As anticipated, the volunteers and myself handed out warm food, bottled water, fresh fruit, sandwiches, and even brownies and cookies! In fact, some volunteers even brought clothes for the homeless. Yet, I did not expect how generous, humble, and moderate each of these individuals would be. A perfect example: while passing out bottled water, I couldn’t understand why so many people were saying no thanks. Finally, one woman said, “Thank you but I already received my bottle of water, but if you have any extra, I could definitely use it.” Instead of being greedy and taking the water, they wanted to make sure everybody received one.

With out a doubt, my most meaningful event of the night was when I saw the most adorable little girl and her mom sitting down to eat their dinner. I went over to talk to the little girl and to remind them about the Thanksgiving breakfast that Rock for Hunger will be having. I quickly realized that this was a very special little girl. At only 6 years old, she knew how to sign language since her mother was deaf. One of the volunteers had brought his little sister’s second-hand clothes and luckily, many of the clothes fit her. As the bus came, we said our goodbyes. Though the mother was deaf and could not speak very well, we knew by her teary eyes and gracious smile that she was so appreciative of the clothing that her daughter received.

As I walked away, I was flooded with emotions. I have never experienced such a welcoming and friendly environment. In fact, I tear up as I try to write this. How can people have so little but be so happy? How can two little boys find so much time between school and playing sports to help out others in need? How can I get upset because I can’t afford pricey accessories when these people can barely meet day to day necessities; food, water, and shelter? Moreover, why haven’t I volunteered before?

I would have never imagined that volunteering an hour of my time would change my perspective on life, hope, and happiness. I realized that it doesn’t matter if you’re young, poor, or handicapped, everyone can be an inspiration. I would never have believed that two little boys, a poverty stricken girl, and a handicapped mother would inspire me to be a better person. Though the end of my semester is vastly approaching, I am going to continue to volunteer with Rock for Hunger. In fact, I plan on becoming a lifelong volunteer. If an hour can change my life, I can’t imagine the changes that will take place over a lifetime…
By: Ashley V.

Ashley came to volunteer with us for the frist time this week, and had a great & impactful experience. She has been very passionate about getting involved for a while now, and has been very curious about Rock for Hunger. Thanks for coming out on Monday Ashley, and for sharing your great story.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

"Tuko Pamoja" - We Are One
Peace!