Kendal Smith

 

Serving others has always been a big part of my life. I remember being 6 years old and my sister helping the elderly down the steps at the church. Since I have been at Restoration Academy, God has really shown me that He wants me to continue doing His work.

 

During my junior year of high school, I was accepted into a city wide group called Youth Leadership Forum. They taught us the needs of the city of Birmingham. One paticular meeting day we had community service day. The 40+ of us split into about 7 differnent groups and observed a day at a non-profit organization. My group was located at The Bell Center in Homewood. It is a place of learning for children born with special needs. After visiting with the children and the facuilty at The Bell Center, we had to speak on why the Bell Center deserved a donation. I spoke on my group's behalf and advocated for the Bell Center, and after everybody voted, our group and the Bell Center won $1000 for The Bell Center, and I had the chance to donate it during our closing ceremony.

 

The same year I was fortunate to travel to Boliva on a mission trip with my some of my peers and my teachers. The trip started off rocky because we had some technical difficulties with the plane. After finally arriving, we were all tired and some what frustrated. Our attitudes changed when we met the orphans and the workers from Amistad Mission. They helped us realize that we need to be grateful for what the Lord has given us.We painted  a house called De Casa San Francisco. While at the Amistad Mission orphanage, I fell in love with a nine year old girl named Rosalina. Even though I vaugely understood her, she spoke to me spiritually. She kept a smile on her face even though one of her shoes had a very noticable hole in the front. That experience with her  changed my life.  In the future I hope to go back and serve these people. I am even trying to start an organization that will allow people to donate shoes to the Amistad Mission orphanage because Rosalina and other girls like her do not have good shoes to wear.

 

This past summer I was offered an internship at Better Basics at Camp Hope. Better Basics is a non-for-profit organization that recruits volunteers to read to students in local schools.  Camp Hope was in Fairfield, Al at Robinson Elementry School for children grades K-8th. I was placed with the 2nd and 3rd graders. I will never forget that experience because it showed me the work that needs to be done in the surrounding areas of Birminigham. There were children who had dropped through the cracks in the local public schools and were not receiving the education they deserved. As I read to these children and worked with them, this experience softened my heart and made me think before I judge children. These children in our urban communities need people around them to let them know they are loved and cared for. Working at this camp also help prepare me for my future in education. I want to major in Special Ed in college, and there were many children at Camp Hope with special needs. Over the summer, I grew in patience, and I feel like I more fully understand the work that needs to be done with urban children's education. I hope to do some volunteering in the after school programs this year as well. The children have taught me the importance of an getting an education.

 

God has certainly blessed me by the oppoutunities He has given me. Serving has been in my heart for a long time and I hope that I continue to grow in the mission field. There are so many people in the world that need help, whether it is with a new pair of shoes or help with reading a book. God has blessed me, and I want to share my blessing with others.