VISIONS Mississippi Volunteer Program

Why did you decide to volunteer with VISIONS in United States?

Kevin: I decided to volunteer my time to VISIONS because I wanted to help those who are less fortunate. I remember not having much when I grew up but I made it through those times. I wanted other people to experience that feeling or at least try to help them not worry about their situation. For years I have discussed with my mom about helping people in any way. Then when I heard about this program, I got excited because I was finally able to do what I always wanted to do, which is to help out the less fortunate. I asked my school about this program and what I would need to do to make this program a reality for me.

Even though I’ve never gone anywhere in the country without my mom, this program finally gave me the opportunity to help others. It also gave me autonomy. I’ve always wanted to help out, and this was my opportunity.

Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.

Kevin: A typical day for me involved waking up at 5:45 a.m. and then taking a run at 6:00. The run would last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. After my run, I would shower and get ready to help make breakfast and pack lunches. We would have breakfast around 7:30 and finish at 8:30 in time to leave for the worksite. The ride would last about an hour and we would get straight to work upon arrival at the site.

We would work until noon and eat lunch for forty-five minutes. Our workday would end around 5:00, sometimes earlier, sometimes later. We would return back to our home base, take showers, and prepare dinner. We ate around 5:30 and after dinner we would have an activity that the staff made for us and 10:30 p.m. was lights out. By then, I was definitely ready to sleep!

What made this experience unique and special?

Kevin: What made this experience unique and special were the interactions within our group and our interactions within the community. Our interactions with each other were amazing; we would help each other at the worksites and by the end of the program, we felt like a strong and united family. I can honestly say that I am still talking to my group mates and I will for the rest of my life.

Our interactions with the community were great. Everyday someone would pass where we worked and tell us how glad they were that we were helping their community. We even got invited to a family barbecue where we met many people. When we went to the beach, we played volleyball and talked to those living in the community for about 2 hours. Our interactions with the community exceeded my expectations of what I thought they would be.

How has this experience impacted your future?

Kevin: This experience impacted my life in a tremendous way personally, physically, and academically. Last year my grades and mood took a sudden dip. I felt bored with life because I felt like I was doing nothing with it, which led me to stop working out. When I returned back from VISIONS, I was determined to get my grades back up and start taking life more seriously. I decided I would take an extra language course and got back to working out. I made a list of ways to improve my life in general. With that list I also made a B.A.H.G. (Big, audacious, and hairy goal), which was to have 3 grades above ninety in one marking period, something I haven’t succeeded in doing since freshman year. I am now studying for each class more and my grades are improving.

I am also gradually getting back to my old physical shape. In short, VISIONS made me realize that I was off track and it helped me get back on the road to success: getting accepted to Loyola University in New Orleans.