PACT Journal #2

Lindsay Miller

February 11^th-15^th, 2016

Menlo Church

Brett Koerten

bkoerten@menlo.church

I was a little more prepared for my return trip to Mexicali my junior year. I was anxious to know if any of the local kids I met last year will remember me. The countless Facebook messages I received from the kids gave me hope, even if I could barely understand them. Sure enough, one little boy named Edgar came running up to me right when I got to the village. I could tell that he was hiding something behind his back and he wore a sheepish smile on his face. He reached out his hand and proudly gave me a blue and yellow paper-woven heart that he had made at school.

Many people ask me if my trip to Mexicali made me grateful for everything I have and tell me that it’s so special that I help people “less fortunate” than I am. However, the lessons I gained and changes I underwent while in Mexicali have a much deeper meaning for me. I believe that the villagers are actually more fortunate than most people I know back home because of their collective happiness. None of them were focused on work or success but instead prioritized their families and friends, which is what makes their communities so strong and happy. I felt really rewarded after helping the villagers but also felt like I had learned something from them.

PACT Journal #1

Lindsay Miller

February 12^th-16^th, 2015

Menlo Church

Brett Koerten

bkoerten@menlo.church

This was my first time to Mexicali and I had no idea what to expect. Every year, the high school ministry at my church takes around a hundred high schoolers and some leaders down to Mexicali via a joyous eighteen-hour bus ride. We are split up into “villages”, groups of about thirty people who go to certain communities’ churches scattered throughout Mexicali. At the villages, we complete smaller construction projects, run activities for the children, or niños, and even put on a carnival festival for all five villages to attend.

The experience has broadened my viewpoint and way of life, making me more mature and sensitive to others and myself. One man I talked to over a taco lunch told me that he drove one hour a day to pick vegetables on a farm, making one dollar an hour. However, he was still engaged in his community and spent his free time helping with church community activities and building relationships.  Like every other villager I talked to, he was extremely compassionate and surprisingly content with his simple lifestyle. The importance of connection to others helped those I met maintain strong relationships with family, each other and even the random church from California that came to visit them for four days a year. I felt like I made a difference in the people's lives, especially the kids. I gave them attention that they normally don't get on a daily basis, which made them extremely happy, something that was very rewarding for me to see. 

Pact Journal Entry #1

Megan Tung

April 29, 2016 3:30-5:30pm

Hoover School; BGCP Robotics Class

Damien White and Kira N. Edwards

dwhite@bgcp.org; kedwards@bgcp.org

Going into the robotics class I did not know much about robotics itself/how to program, but I went in with an open mind to learn how.  Because one of my passions is photography, I was asked to take pictures of the students, as they were working and help the students as much as I could.  Going into the class knowing we were teaching middle school students I thought that it would be fairly difficult to teach them and keep them focused.  However, the kids were a lot more focused than I thought they would be.  Although there were a few times where the kids did not want to work, it was more common that they were excited to work.  

One aspect of teaching the kids that surprised with me was how interested the kids were about the rigor of high school.  Many of the kids were in 8^th grade and were about to graduate soon, so they wanted to know what to expect in high school.  For the first three classes many of the students were building their robot that they wanted to program, so as they were building I would talk with them about my experiences in high school and would give them tips that helped me in the beginning of high school.  

I also rediscovered my love for teaching kids.  In middle school I peer tutored elementary school kids, so being able to continue this trend really helped me to feel like I was helping future generations thrive. 

Second Harvest Food Bank: PACT Blog #2

Lee Fisher
February 21st, 2016, 9-12pm (6th visit)
Second Harvest Food Bank

After six visits to Second Harvest Food Bank in San Carlos, I have finally completed my PACT project. The most recent visit (February 21, 2016) was my last visit, although I definitely hope to return to the food bank over the course of my high school career. My final six visits to the food bank were definitely the best: I was experienced, knowledgable, and I even took some friends to volunteer with me. That definitely made the environment more fun (the three hours flew by!) and I know that the extra people made a different on those days in terms of the amount of food we were able to sort.

Over the course of the past year or so, I have visited the food bank six times. Each time, I helped with food sorting. During my visits, I helped with inspecting and packing bread into boxes, inspecting cans and other food items, labeling cans, making and filling boxes, and sorting different types of food. In only six visits, I was able to do every single type of food sorting at SHFB. This gave me an extremely diverse experience and helped me appreciate the type of work that the food bank does each day in order to deliver millions of pounds of food to consumers in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Now that I have completed my PACT project with SHFB, I am incredibly appreciative of everything that I have. I am so lucky to be able to buy my own food and eat a home cooked meal every day. I am incredibly fortunate because I am able to afford good food for myself and my family. I am also fortunate to live in a community that cares about everybody in it.  Unlike other cities and towns, I am living in a place that sees problems and creates solutions. I am now aware that not every area has a place like SHFP, and I am so thankful for the food bank. The organization feeds thousands of people each month, which is not a small feat, and it certainly makes an incredible difference in people's lives. I am extremely grateful to have been a part of such a efficient, effective, vital, and fun organization.

Second Harvest Food Bank: PACT Blog #1

Lee Fisher
June 24th, 2015, 6-8pm (3rd visit)
Second Harvest Food Bank

For my PACT project, I chose to work with Second Harvest Food Bank. I have worked with this organization before, so I knew exactly what to expect. SHFB serves food to people throughout the Bay Area on a weekly basis. I specifically helped with food sorting.

So far, I have visited the organization three times. Each time I have visited over the course of the past three months, I have worked two hour shifts in the warehouse sorting food. Last Wednesday (June 24th, 2015), I visited SHFB's San Mateo warehouse for the third time and sorted more food.

However, what I personally did at SHFB is not what really matters. What matters is the thousands of people who are fed every day because of volunteers like me. What matters is the children and seniors who did not starve this week. What matters is the parents who are able to feed their families nutritious meals every day instead of McDonald's McNuggets.

Without the 50+ volunteers working each shift, the bread and rolls would not have been packed, the expiration dates would not have been checked, and food would not have been packed into boxes and delivered. Without the volunteers, SHFB would not be able to do what it does. It relies heavily on the help of the wonderful people who volunteer there every week, and for three weeks, I was one of those volunteers.

I definitely discovered a lot about myself, my family, and my community through working with SHFB I am now much more aware about the struggles of people around me, especially those who rely on Second Harvest so heavily that they would go hungry without it. This was a huge wake-up call for me, because I haven't really been exposed to that kind of thing before. I am glad I chose SHFB to work with for my PACT.