I am here to serve
For our spring quarter class prior to our summer placements, we read an article describing the difference between serving and helping. It’s an article that has stuck with me as I embark on this Bolivian adventure.
I have been interested in the idea of combatting the disconnection between consumers and producers since an immersion trip focusing on fair trade in Nicaragua. I love that AHA Bolivia is committed to being an ethical business in the most comprehensive way possible. It is the synthesis of so many different issues that I care about: sustainability, economic empowerment of women, cultural preservation, and local sourcing, just to name a few.
But as Bolivia approaches, I have constantly asked myself what I really have to offer while I’m there. I’ve never taken a formal Spanish class before. I admit that I don’t know a ton about business. I’m a young, naive college student who is going off to work in a country I probably understand little about despite my extensive research.
But this article has reminded me that it’s not about helping or fixing, but serving. Helping implies a sort of inequality, using your own strength to help those who are weaker. It also signifies a debt of sorts; when you help someone, they owe you something in return.
As Rachel Remen writes, “When I help, I am very aware of my own strength. But we don’t serve with our strength, we serve with ourselves.”
I am coming to Bolivia to serve with myself: all that I am, all that I have to offer. Service is about a relationship between equals. The one who serves is served as the person they are serving. As much as I desire to create an impact at AHA Bolivia, I imagine I will learn more than I could ever give in return.
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AHA Bolivia is an ethical & fair trade manufacturer that employs female artisans. These artisans produce handmade knitwear, handbags, toys, and accessories using sustainable cultural techniques and local materials. For anyone who is interested in learning more about AHA Bolivia, check out http://www.ahabolivia.com
