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Coming together like a family
By Raphael Alejandrino |
May 30, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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FLYING to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with my friends and other participants in the Habitat for Humanity Cambodia Build was a highly anticipated sojourn. Together with our chaperones Mr Reid Blickenstaff and Ms Melissa Ong, we boarded the flight in Pudong.
Our mission: to be advocates of Habitat for Humanity's cause of eliminating poverty housing by volunteering our time, effort and resources to the people of Phnom Penh. As we journeyed to Cambodia, all of us bore a common goal in mind - to help make our world a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
The relatively long flight, time difference and midnight arrival at the airport did not dampen our spirits. We were all bright-eyed and enthusiastic about what lay ahead. We looked forward to acquiring skills in construction, team building and work ethics, as well as valuable traits such as cooperation, perseverance and persistence.
The site was in the rural outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, amidst farmland, rice paddies and coconut trees. The first few days of work were unforgettable. The entire group worked together as a unit - our job was to build a house. We left behind the comfort of home and school, ignored personal differences and established camaraderie while accomplishing our mission.
After many grueling days of hard labor and remarkable team effort, our mission was accomplished - we finished building the house. We were proud that we had completed our mission and reached a common goal.
The final day was the house dedication day. We basked in the glory of our accomplishment - truly an achievement worth celebrating. The celebration included a housewarming ritual in which birds were released into the blue Cambodian sky. Samvitey "Raymond" Kong, our translator, thanked us in a nice speech.
We left Shanghai as individuals, searching for adventure and excitement. We came back as a family, each with our own unique story.
Our mission: to be advocates of Habitat for Humanity's cause of eliminating poverty housing by volunteering our time, effort and resources to the people of Phnom Penh. As we journeyed to Cambodia, all of us bore a common goal in mind - to help make our world a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
The relatively long flight, time difference and midnight arrival at the airport did not dampen our spirits. We were all bright-eyed and enthusiastic about what lay ahead. We looked forward to acquiring skills in construction, team building and work ethics, as well as valuable traits such as cooperation, perseverance and persistence.
The site was in the rural outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, amidst farmland, rice paddies and coconut trees. The first few days of work were unforgettable. The entire group worked together as a unit - our job was to build a house. We left behind the comfort of home and school, ignored personal differences and established camaraderie while accomplishing our mission.
After many grueling days of hard labor and remarkable team effort, our mission was accomplished - we finished building the house. We were proud that we had completed our mission and reached a common goal.
The final day was the house dedication day. We basked in the glory of our accomplishment - truly an achievement worth celebrating. The celebration included a housewarming ritual in which birds were released into the blue Cambodian sky. Samvitey "Raymond" Kong, our translator, thanked us in a nice speech.
We left Shanghai as individuals, searching for adventure and excitement. We came back as a family, each with our own unique story.
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