Reflections from Ema

When I first signed up for the trip to Beth-El, I was a little skeptical of what we could really achieve. After learning about migrant workers and the thousands of struggles they face, I was doubtful that a group of teenagers spending a relatively short time in Wimauma would truly be able to make a difference. But I quickly learned that I was very wrong. Every day, whether we were assembling toiletry kits, handing out bags of food, or attending worship service and youth group, it was obvious that just the fact that we were there meant so much to members of this community.

I can’t count the number of smiles I saw and the numbers of “thank-you’s” (or often “gracias’s”) I heard. In a way, my original concerns were correct; there’s only so much food you can hand out and work you can do in four days. But it became very clear to me that just knowing someone cares and is trying to help is enough to make a difference. I like to think that we not only gave people in Beth-El help, we gave them hope.