There was a group of them 8000 miles away in South Africa, a few more over in Armenia, many down south in the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Peru,and Jamaica, and some staying domestic in New Orleans and West Virginia. For ten days juniors were making an impact all over the world, but why?

After completing a rigorous academic year, juniors had two days of break before they were sent all over the globe on their service projects. They were sent to different third world countries and destitute areas of the United States where they worked with the indigenous people, helping in any way they could with their own talents and resources.

Students have been prepared for this opportunity since they first started at Malvern. Mr. Larry Legner, director of Christian Service, who is in charge of the junior service trips said, “A Malvern student has many opportunities to serve others starting first thing freshman year and continuing every year after.  What they experience locally prepares them for traveling to third world locations.”

From a day at Philabundance during freshman year, to an overnight at Saint Augustine’s sophomore year, to a weekend in Camden junior year, students have been working towards this once in a lifetime opportunity their entire time at Malvern. But nothing could prepare the juniors for what they would see in these places.

As a chaperone on the Jamaica trip, Legner was proud to say,“I saw the students in Jamaica step way out of their comfort zone and do things for and with people they never thought they would do.  They shaved elderly men in a home, they played duck duck goose with children in a day care center in the city dump because that is where they live, they fed hundreds of homeless men and women in Kingston, and they taught and played with children in the hospital.”

Senior Dan Stemper, who went to South Africa said, “I’d say one of the biggest things I got from that trip was perspective and to see to how important we were to those kids just for simply picking them up. The smallest things we take for granted are the best things in their life.”

These trips required students to step way out of their comfort zones and experience ten days with people who couldn’t even imagine living in our lives. The students jumped in with two feet and lived every moment.

And as for you juniors this year, when it comes to picking a service destination, don’t fret. All of these service trips are extraordinary and are truly once in a lifetime experiences. Don’t worry if you don’t get your top choice and definitely don’t worry that you won’t raise all of the money. You will find that people are more than willing to give to such a great cause.

These trips are truly amazing and are experiences that will never be forgotten.