Blog Post - HI Trip Day 1 by Tim Reppe, 01/15/17
I'm hoping to make an impact on this trip but not quite sure how yet. I've seen pictures & read news about devastation, disease, & poverty on a massive scale. I could get a sense of it on the ride from the airport to Nicole's place seeing infrastructure mostly in a state of disrepair. I see people who are in need (but don't want to rush to judge on their condition).
There is a lot to be done in this country. And I am just one person. Can I really make an immediate impact and one that will last? Just read that Sean Penn's Haiti Rising organization raised $37M in aid. At the same time we're discouraged from handing out money & gifts. Then what is the purpose of me coming?
I believe I can make an impact with the power of human contact. Spending time with kids has the ability to touch his or her life in a way that money cannot. With soccer as the medium I can be a role model for the children in attitude, discipline & teamwork. This can be with hundreds of kids or just 1. I believe that making an impact with just one child can have a multiplying effect after you've gone as he or she continues to pay it forward.
The first day of volunteering has yet to begin & there are many unknowns. But I'm anxious to get started.
Tim