HYC Philadelphia: Serving With a Cheerful Heart

The HYC in Philadelphia helped me first of all to realize how much I have and take for granted. While the life that I have at home has definitely been a struggle for me at times (and led to me falling into depression during my sophomore year of high school), when I was in Philly I met kids who had grown up in places where there is violence and killing happening all the time. Being able to help clean up the streets and alleyways there really impacted me because the people were so grateful and had hope that their city could change in the future. It personally made me feel grateful for the life I live and everything that I have, even with its struggles. Our own lives can appear challenging – and yes, sometimes they are – but it's important to remember that most of the world has it worse than us.

Secondly, the friendships I made on HYC are ones that I feel will last a lifetime. I learnt so much just from talking and interacting with the group. I was shown that to build long-lasting friendships you have to be willing to be vulnerable. Opening up and sharing my story with everyone was challenging for me, but it led to me connecting with people on a really deep level and making bonds that I know will never be broken.

Lastly, I realized how little I really serve others at home. Serving every day and giving everything I had to the community in Philadelphia made me happy as everyone was so grateful. Seeing the joy and hope that I was able to bring to a city plagued by violence was truly inspiring. It made me think about how I only really serve the poor or needy once a month when at home, and often not with a cheerful heart. I now have seen and learnt what it really means to give wholeheartedly, to serve with the right mindset and with a cheerful and giving heart.