Open Hands Service Trip Day 2 (June 19)

     From nine in the morning to six in the afternoon, our schedule was packed. Our first destination, where we would spend the majority of the day, was a small village called Apia. As soon as we arrived, we were given the task to make bread. We all thought making bread would be busy, as it only involved a single step of rolling the dough into a circle. However, we struggled with shaping the dough, even the mothers. After a while, some of us got the hang of it and although our muscles started to ache, we continued to give our best, thinking about the smiles on the children who would eat the bread. We made approximately 200 servings of bread, which we later served to the village kids.

     Before lunch, we still had two tasks to complete. First, we had to help clean the filters that were part of the water kits made by Open Hands. The water kits were previously installed by Open Hands before our trip, so our mission was to clean out the filter. We stopped by two houses and efficiently cleaned the filters by using a syringe and made sure that the drinking water was safe. Our second task was to help explain and give 'Lumir K' lamps to the village people. This lamp is generated solely through oil, preferably kerosene, and is extremely useful to villages without electricity. 

     

     After lunch, we played with the village children. We taught them the song and dance from Day 1, played Duck Duck Goose and Jenga, had conversations, and ended with handing out bubbles. During this time, we were simply glad to be able to be part of their lives, even if it was only for an hour. 

     We said our goodbye's to the children in Apia Village and drove to our last destination of the day and entire trip, Bangyat Village. At this village, we taught several kids how to play basketball and helped out with feeding. Again, we poured porridge into small bowls and gave out pieces of candy. 

  

     Although we were exhausted by the end of the trip because of our busy schedule, we were all glad that we could help the different villages and was overall, a humbling experience. We walked away from the villages blessed by the love and genuine joy shown by the children and although the trip only lasted two days, it was truly an unforgettable two days. From what we experienced and witnessed, the Ecosave Club wishes to help these environmentally polluted areas and underprivileged children by raising funds back in South Korea. 

By Soo Lee