Jessica A.

Firlej 09/25/2013 UNIV 292 Upon reading Morton's articles and Ivan Ilyichs "To Hell with Good Intentions," how is service a complex idea involving power, privilege, and relationships? What observations did you make during your Global Brigades experience where you can apply these concepts?

The impact of community service on my personal student development is beyond compare to any other engaged learning experience I have ever had. That being said, it was very difficult, almost frustrating for me to read the articles assigned for this reflection. In fact, I think that was the point exactly. I think assigning articles such as these is almost more beneficial for us than articles, which would be considered easy to read. I was challenged by these outside perspectives of service because the argument was that today, mission-vacation among poor communities is highly offensive. I was struck by the question HOW can service work, whatever size, shape or firm be considered highly offensive to anyone? In Ivan Illichs To Hell with Good Intentions, is where I came across a term that interested me very much so, mission-vacation. Illich explains, Mission-vacations among poor Mexicans were the thing to do for well-off U.S. students earlier in this decade [1960s]: sentimental concern for newly-discovered, poverty south of the border combined with total blindness to much worse poverty at home justified such benevolent excursions. The title of vacationing do-gooders does not sit well with me because what Ive learned from my personal experience, is that our time spent brigading is far from vacationing. This article frustrates me because what Illich seems to completely ignore is the reaction and sentiments of those being helped. He makes is very clear that

efforts and works of service doers is unnecessary and insulting to the country (Mexico in particular). He states that we as Americans cannot help being ultimately vacationing salesmen for the middle-class American Way of Life, since that is really the only life we know and that next to money and guns, the third largest North American export is the U.S. idealist. Here he targets teachers, volunteers, missionaries, community organizers, and economic developers who dont truly alleviate damage but more so play the role of someone who could or should alleviate damages in every theater of the world. This article is complete pessimism and anti-American sentiment. Illich explains his ill feelings toward the presence of any and all North American do-gooders has been collected for a number of years and that he finds hypocrisy in most of us. I, for one, think that Mr. Ivan Illich had a negative experience with one or two groups of American service groups and has generalized this notion that all North Americans interesting in participating in any form of service to an underprivileged community is a middle-class, educated, salesman trying to impose the American Way of Life on the rest of the world. I have a very hard time finding support for his claims other than these classifications and stereotyping of American vacationing do-gooders. Frankly, I actually took a particular liking to his name for us. A vacationing do-gooder - I may adopt that, not because I agree but because I find it hilarious. If you think about it, the term doesnt even make sense how does someone vacationing and someone doing good have any correlation. Granted I picked up on his sarcasm there, but it still isnt the brightest name he could have come up with! I found the Starfish Hurling and Community Service article just a tiny bit better than the first. I agreed that the usual conclusions drawn from this hackneyed tale are

about the importance of making a difference where you can, one person or problem at a time; about not being put off by skepticism or criticism or cynicism. The story acknowledges the relief that comes when we find a way to relieve suffering. A somewhat deeper reading is that there is merit in jumping into a situation and finding a way to act the first step in determining what possibilities for action might exist. What this means to me, from my personal experiences, is recognizing that whatever the size, anyone can make a difference where the effort and intention of good will exists. Naturally we as humans find relief when we find a way to relieve any miniscule or large-scale suffering. Today I still believe there is so much more we could have done in Ghana, more medicine we could have brought, raised more money for life straws, fundraised for an additional doctor. Going and seeing what there is to be done is very different than planning for an experience like this. Seeing, feeling, touching the hands and faces of the children of Ghana left a forever lasting imprint on my heart. Not knowing how to continue to give to Ghana troubles my peers and me, Im sure. After seeing, feeling and touching first hand, I understand this complexity of privilege and power. We as students of Loyola University were privileged and had the financial power to gather medicines and fly out to Ghana, where as on the other side of the world, some of the people our age could only dream of ever leaving their beloved country. I particularly remember a parent just wishing and praying for their children to have the opportunity one day to leave Ghana and make a life outside of the one they know. Our families here encourage us to explore, go international, but also expect us to come home and build a life from the one we know. My favorite couple of lines from this article would be the last paragraph stating, Don't go charging out to help. Talk, listen, build relationships, know your self, your

environment; work with others where they and the situation itself can teach you how to act with more and more knowledge and effectiveness. Stop hurling starfish. Community service is complex involving power, privilege, and relationships. I feel that if dogooders study the topic of service and examine the aspects that make it so complex, they can do a fantastic job. I think everyone should spend a little time researching the people and places we are passionate for, we owe it to ourselves and can produce so much more good. I firmly believe in that.