April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
Community service remains part of teens' schedule
However, for many adolescents today, these images could not be further from the truth. A large percentage of young people today are involved in community service of some kind.
They choose to help out for a number of reasons. Some have community service requirements to fulfill for Confirmation or school, but many do it simply because they know that there are less fortunate people who need their help.
Serving others
Peggy Keogh, 16, of Altamont has been involved in a wide variety of service projects for several years."I teach religion at my church," began the student from Guilderland High School. "Last summer, I spent one week working at the Vacation Bible school in Altamont. I was in charge of five elementary school students and helped them throughout out the week. I am in Free The Children, both at my school and in the larger Capital District chapter.
"Last year, I took part in a program at school in which I mentored a freshman. I made sure she did her homework, studied for tests, felt comfortable at the high school etc. Every year, I volunteer to work at the restaurant my church has at the Altamont Fair. I worked for Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, I am on Youth Ministry team at my church, and I am also a member of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Team."
Why they help
When asked why she chooses to continue her volunteer work, Peggy's answer was simple: "I do it because Jesus wants me to, and I also do it because I need to be aware that I have so much and I need to help people that aren't as fortunate as me."Patrick Duff, 16, of Niskayuna has also been involved in community service over the years.
"I work in the soup kitchen because I feel that its everyone's job to help those who are needy," he explained. "God has called everyone to help and this was just another opportunity for me to get involved."
Rewards
Both teens reveal that God's Word has inspired them to help others, and both agree that they have reaped innumerable rewards from participating in service projects.Last February, Peggy took a trip to Mexico with Free The Children, an organization that works to end child labor. She viewed firsthand the poverty that many people of the world face daily. She recalled one particular incident as the single most rewarding experience of her volunteer work.
"The feeling I had when I handed a Mexican child a crayon or simple piece of construction paper was unbelievable," she said. "I could not imagine being so grateful for such a simple gift. The children would not ask for more, but they ran to bring other children so that all their friends and siblings could get something. The feeling of love and community was amazing. I saw beauty in those innocent faces that no words will describe."
Patrick echoed these sentiments in describing his work at the soup kitchen: "The most rewarding part of this job is knowing that I am helping people who live a hard life. It feels great to know that, day in and day out, I have helped someone. It makes me happy, and it feels good to see them with a smile on their face."
What it's like
Patrick and Peggy have both dealt with the frustrations of their duties. Peggy spoke of often being discouraged by the fact that it is difficult to see immediate results in her work, but Patrick summed it up best by saying, "Well, everything is difficult in its own way. Each little task has its own difficulty and all you can do is cope with it and get the job done."With that positive outlook, it is no wonder that these two teens have been able to make such a positive influence on other people's lives.
Peggy understands the impact her hard work can have on the world. "I love knowing that I can help people," she said. "I love knowing that serving Jesus can be fun, can be rewarding. I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment, I enjoy knowing that even though I'm 'just a kid,' I'm still important. I know that the reason I am here is to help other people -- and I will continue doing that.
(11-08-01) [[In-content Ad]]
MORE NEWS STORIES
- Inspired by millennial soon-to-be-saint, Irish teens create animated Lego-Carlo Acutis film
- Anxiety, uncertainty follow Trump travel ban
- Supreme Court rules in favor of Wisconsin Catholic agency over religious exemption
- Analysts: Trump’s action on Harvard, Columbia could have implications for religious groups
- Commission tells pope universal safeguarding guidelines almost ready
- Council of Nicaea anniversary is call to Christian unity, speakers say
- Vatican office must be place of faith, charity, not ambition, pope says
- Pope Leo XIV names Uganda-born priest as bishop of Houma-Thibodaux
- Report: Immigration data ‘much lower’ than Trump administration claims
- Religious freedom in Russia continues to decline, say experts
Comments:
You must login to comment.