By Lara Reda, The 21 Fellow
My time on The 21 Trip with Coptic Orphans changed my life.
At my brother’s insistence, I applied to the program, with the mentality that I will not be accepted. I thought to myself, who wouldn’t apply for an opportunity like this?
I would later find out that I had been selected, along with 64 others, from amongst hundreds of applicants. I was floored.
At the orientation, Nermien Riad, the Founder of Coptic Orphans, told me: “You were selected for a purpose, and it is in the hands of God.” Words that didn’t provide a logical explanation. But God isn’t a nominal variable to be understood. I just needed to have faith.
Service. Prior to this tip, service was obtaining all the volunteer hours needed to graduate high school. It was a childish obligation. St. Paul, one of the dearest saints to me, explains the sentiment behind the act of service in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
In Tahta, I saw the truth of St. Paul’ words. I was conducting home visits alongside the Volunteer Reps. Many of them were previous participants in the Not Alone Program and had graduated into service with Coptic Orphans.
They all had rapport with the families, with an in-depth understanding of the complex dynamics between culture, religion, and the interpersonal relationships of the families they served.
When factoring in all the expenses, the time spent, the emotional effort they put into the families they serve, there is no way they are only volunteering for anything less than devotion to God. Their service is an act of love.
So, why was I chosen? It doesn’t matter. I was chosen, now what? Now serve. How? Watch.
And I watched all the examples I was surrounded by. The child who gifted me a hand-made pink bag because she knew it was my favourite color. The Volunteer Rep who taught me that success is relative and every victory, no matter how small, is colossal when living in simplicity with God.
My local coordinator who dedicated hours of her days and nights to keep the wheels of our program turning. And again, when she nursed my whole group back to health when we couldn’t handle the tap water in Tahta.
Our hosts, who cooked the most delicious meals for us, and showed us such generous hospitality that I never once felt homesick.
Every single interaction, every single second of the day was a lesson in love and service to Christ.
I came back different in all the ways that matter. My understanding of service can no longer be shallow now that I witnessed the depths of devotion. Love for me is no longer so simple as loving my neighbor, but also serving them.
If anyone has the honor of being chosen to go on this trip, I hope you take one thing away from my reflection: on this trip, you will understand what it means to be created in the image and likeness of God. You will see it in the people you meet; the families, the children, the volunteers, the coordinators, and the locals.
And you will not come back the same.