FINAL REFLECTION--Under Construction

I have concluded this school year's under construction project. Our objectives were introduced to us from the first build at the beginning of the year, where we essentially had to construct a soccer pitch for the students at Grace Harvest Academy in Kangemi. I was hoping to get to know the kids better and be able to understand their environment more. Overall, we dug out an entire hill for the soccer pitch, flattened out the land, constructed and painted a large fence around the pitch, and finally built and painted goals for the pitch. We finished all the tasks we had set out for ourselves except for constructing a large net around the pitch to catch balls flying over the fence but other than that we have successfully constructed a usable soccer pitch. At a physical level, I was very successful seeing as the pitch was fully built in the time we had. I also had the privilege of interacting with and even playing football with some of the schoolchildren at the school. This gave me an opportunity to talk to them and get to know them which I am very thankful for. My main difficulties that I encountered was exhaustion. Working 5 hours straight in the blaring sun carrying extremely heavy loads and digging away is very tiring. On my first build we dug into a sack of rotted material and the stench was so nauseating we could not even work. However, ultimately were doing it for the kids so I picked myself up, and worked hard until the build was over, with only a few breaks in between. I loved this activity, it allows me to get hand on and experience an area of Kenya that I am still largely unfamiliar with but want to know better. This activity has taught me to not give up no matter how im feeling because ultimately there are more important things to worry about than myself. I have developed a greater sense of selflessness and now want to do more to help the community around me. I could easily apply the skills I'v learned in Habitat in case I ever have to do construction work by myself.