Values Clarification

Charity Pettit Nikki Beechy Yanran Lu

Our team was created by people with different backgrounds, everyone is unique in our team. We respected each other and respected the differences between us. That was the start of our teamwork.

An individual person's strength is limited, but it’s massive for a team. Our 16 team members accomplished many things a man cannot easily achieve. Our team drove 3 vans, passed through 4 states, and took more than 14 hours to reach our destination in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Teamwork is efficient and effective. Our team completed heavy gardening work at the Moore Community House within an hour, cleaned up the Mississippi Gulf Coast YMCA within two hours, and served 100+ people with meals at Loaves and Fishes. None of these above tasks could be completed without the effort of a team.

Teamwork requires every member commits on a shared common goal and works together toward the same direction. The mission our team shared was serving with community in quality approaches. The three elements in quality service we learned are direct service, education, and reflection. Education is a preparation for direct service, and reflection helps improve direct service.

The act of being selfless is when you think of someone else's needs and wants before your own. While on our trip in Mississippi, we demonstrated this on multiple occasions. We visited The Mental Health Association of South Mississippi and when we first arrived we were all a bit nervous about working with adults with mental illnesses. Instead of searching out ways to make us comfortable we got to know the people and learned what they needed from us to make their day better. Soon after we all started talking with different members of the group we all became friends. We went in with the mental illness stigma on our minds and left with full hearts and smiling faces!

Another way our team showed this value is when we were at the Boys and Girls Club and we may not have been able to do what task we wanted. We ended up doing what the kids wanted us to do, but first we had to follow the normal schedule. Some of us were helping the kids with their homework when we would have much rather been playing basketball. We put the needs of the people we were serving with in front of our own wants.

The best way we showed selflessness on our trip was by doing what ever was asked of us by the community. Our first day there we were asked to inform young children what service really is, and that is where it all began. We did small tasks like organize a closet and decorate a door. We also did bigger things like serve meals to people and lead people in relaxing meditation.

On our trip we also had some misfortunate events, one leaving three of us without any of their belongings. Without blankets or pillows the three of them were worried about how the night was going to go, but other members of the team started making a pile. The quickly growing pile was of things that would help make the night a little more comfortable and warmer! Team members thought less of their own comfort and warmth when their friends were in need of a little help.

This is a value that was at the core of our team. Not only did we have compassion for the people we were working with, but also for each other. This trip and the service done helped us to realize that you do not always know what someone is going through. We were able to connect with each other through the act of service. We came together to support people who needed our kindness and uplifting spirits in their lives.

Our compassion for others really showed through when we went a served at Loaves and Fishes. This is a community kitchen that feeds the hungry and the homeless. While here we were able to meet some of the regulars and serve them breakfast and lunch. Connecting with these people and being able to sit and talk with them showed us that sometimes all you need is a friend. These people were so grateful for the food and the stories they got to share.

This value also reflected in the work done at the Mental Association. We showed our compassion to the members by treating them as if they were our friends and talking with them to show them that somebody out there is rooting for them and wanting them to succeed!

Before leaving for this trip we were all uncertain about what we would accomplish. We had our own individual values in mind, like respect, friendship, and kindness. What we did not know was that these ideas would turn into something so much greater. We became a team and our values collaborated and became the foundation of our service. Respect turned into teamwork, we not only respected each other but now can work together to reach a goal. Friendship turned into selflessness, we stopped worrying about ourselves and instead focused our energy to those whom we were serving with. Kindness turned into compassion, before we were considerate of others and the events of their lives, but after working with all of the wonderful people we became compassionate for others and their journeys. Although our trip is finished, we will carry these values with us for the rest of our lives and continue to serve with others.

Source:

1. Teamwork. (2018, March 18). Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teamwork
2. Selfless | Definition of selfless in English by Oxford Dictionaries. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2018, from https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/selfless