Nathan Hack - August 5, 2016
Buenos Tardes! (Good Evening!)
For the Good Shepherdians that more than likely do not
recognize me, I am Nathan, Jim’s Grandson. For years I have been moved by my
grandfather’s passion for helping those in need in El Salvador and I have
finally been blessed with the opportunity to join him on one of his many adventures
(school has gotten in the way in prior years).
Nathan and Jim Hack at the Ahuachapan work site.
I am currently in my last year of studying Elementary
Education at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. With that being said, I have spent a great
amount of time in the last four years working with children of many ages in
environments that vary from school settings, baby sitting, summer camps, etc.
However, it took traveling 1800 miles, to places unknown, to realize
one of the most important concepts of children that no schooling could teach
me.
You see, I have had very interesting time these past two
weeks. The week before the El Salvador trip, I was a counselor at an overnight
camp called Camp Kesem. This camp is unique as it is a free summer camp for
children whose parents have been affected by cancer. The most touching thing
about this camp to me is being the provider of an environment where these kids
can escape the anxiety of what may be going on at home, and have the time of
their lives. Now, fast forward to this Monday.
Nathan with kids at Camp Kesem.
We arrive at the work site to a foundation smaller than a
garage, with rooms smaller than my freshman dorm room (yikes). We were then
introduced to a few very important people, but two of them stood out among the
rest, Felipe and Javier (the boys of the family we were building the house for). Now I really
can’t put these two into words, they were sort of a “you had to be there”
situation, but they sure did light up the work site with their smiles. An
outsider would have thought these boys were our immediate family - that’s how
they acted around us, and they were incredible. The most amazing thing to me
was their ability to have fun regardless of the situation that life has put
them in. Seeing the conditions of the house that we are building, I can only
imagine the sort of place that they are currently living in, yet none of these
factors hindered their ability to laugh and live life like any kid should (and
that is the opposite of what I expected). All week, we told jokes and played games,
and the boys’ contagious personalities filled a part of our hearts that we were
all missing, our childishness.
Felipe and Javier with Nathan at the build site.
Nathan and Adriana in Ahuachapan, El Salvador.
I reflect on these two weeks, and I try to imagine myself in
the shoes of these kids. Whether I would be dealing with an extremely sick
parent or been given living conditions seemingly too small for my family, I
simply cannot imagine myself having such an outstanding personality like
the kids that I saw these last two weeks. What I have learned from them is
an irreplaceable skill that will forever change the way I look at my future students.
No matter what cards children are dealt in life: loss, disease, poverty,
intellectual disability, etc., there will always be an INVULNERABLE part of them
that is reserved for love, laughter, and just being a kid. As an aspiring
teacher, I am so grateful to have come about this, as all children deserve an
equal chance. I now know that no matter the background of the student at the
desk, there is always a part of them that has the potential to do great things,
and I must harness this potential and guide them to their highest capability.
I came to El Salvador to build someone’s future, but in the
end, that someone has built mine.
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