It was on Friday afternoon when I was deployed to my community in Mzimba district by the CorpsAfrica staff. On that day, I was warmly welcomed by the two Group Village Heads and a woman who was supposed to host me for two weeks. Soon after the staff left, I took a moment to reflect on the service itself. I was super excited because it was a dream come true, however, I was anxious at the same time. You might wonder why I am anxious, yet it’s a desire fulfillment opportunity that I was granted. My mind went back to what most of the previous volunteers said, including the Country Director himself: “This service is not for the faint-hearted”. At this point, I saw life being squeezed out of the quote. I was filled with questions without answers about whether I would manage or not, but something kept reminding me to say, “If other volunteers came out successful, so will you”.
Fully braced to encounter whatever comes, my journey of sacrifice embarked. I lay down my crown and embraced the weight of responsibility accompanying my service to the community. This is my fourth week in the community. During this period, I have been working on getting to know the community and getting myself known to the community leaders and members. I have managed to visit almost all the 28 village heads and the 2 Group Village Headmen who lead the team. Through the process, I have been observing and interacting with different groups of people (the youth, men, and women). This has assisted me in learning more about the status quo and why it is in that manner. I have glimpsed into some of the challenges that people are facing, and going through those challenges together has developed a resilient and empathetic character in me. I feel part of the community and I believe this puts me in a better position to effectively work with my community.
It is inevitable to see the remarkable growth and lessons that are enveloped in this sacrificial journey. Trading comfort by living away from home to serve others has developed a sense of responsibility and commitment. I believe my life is an asset in the transformation of lives.
The experience drew me back to my childhood memories, where I was in the place where some of my community members are today. I have always longed deeply to be part of the solution to the problems people face in rural areas, and am glad that CorpsAfrica has given me that opportunity. I can visualize the fulfillment of my passion for community development.