Harleyville, SC

15 hours.

That's a long time to be in a car. Let alone driving ~10 hours of it. Ah yes one of the distinct pleasures of being among the few driver-eligible participants on our awesome little service trip. Still, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed certain parts of the drive. There were quiet parts sure, especially in the morning when we were just setting out. I don't know at what point exactly, but there was a discernible change in the decibel level of the car around ~10ish maybe (having left at 6am) when I think the rest of the car, outside my dutiful passenger Tyler and I, started to regain consciousness. That was fun, because then people started talking, looking outside the car, and just giving a general life to the road trip. It could also help that by that time we were mostly out of Illinois and on our way into Tennessee, which I prefer greatly (for driving) to Illinois. 

Then, after a fun lunch in Nashville (BBQ!) we got to hop back in the car for another 8 HOURS of driving! I think this was probably about when I had my first break. That was nice... Then I got to get back into the driver seat for the final-stretch. This was by-far my FAVORITE part of the day for two reasons. 

1 Driving through the appalachia country is truly an awesome experience, since that part of the country is so beautiful and hilly! 

2. Deep philosophical talks on our way to the cabin. 

I've recently gotten very into philosophy and we got a lively debate going in the car about whether truth is a prerequisite for happiness. I won't hash into the details, but suffice to say that everyone in our car had a fun time talking about the topic and what it means to be happy, and what "truth" means. 

All in all, it was a fantastic start to harleyville 2014- another unforgettable adventure.

signing off,

-Adam

Harleyville, SC

Our Last Day of Service

Francis Beidler Forest: Harleyville, South Carolina

We rounded out our last day of service at the Francis Beidler Forest on Thursday March 27th. Everyone loaded up the vans and headed to the Audubon Center bright and early where we met up with Mike the sanctuary manager. From there, we took about an hour long drive to another area to clear some trails at that location. Our group had been given the name "Tree Piranhas" by Mike on one of our first days volunteering because of our fast and aggressive way of clearing the trails. We lived up to this name as we tore threw the new trail clearing off the trees that had been blown over by an ice storm in South Carolina that occurred this winter.

Besides clearing the trail, we also found time to stop and take a few pictures. One picture was of our group posing like models around a huge tree. The twitter post of that included the hashtag "MABeautiful." We split into two groups so one group could clear one side of the trail while the other cleared the other side. My group had some pretty interesting conversations about Game of Thrones as we lopped through trees and vines. It seemed like the day went by really fast, and it was hard to believe that our service was over when we met back up with the other group at the end of the trail. I think we were all pretty tired as we loaded up the loppers into the truck for the last time, but knowing we were able to help out Mike and the other workers at the Francis Beidler Forest made it very worth it.

That evening when we went back to the cabin some of the group wanted to go out on the swamp in kayaks one last time. The swamp looked so beautiful and peaceful. We ended up seeing two alligators laying out in the sun and one of them was the biggest alligator we had seen all week. I was so glad we were able to go out on the swamp one last time and it was a great way to round out our last day of service.

San Antonio 2 / Homelessness & Poverty

Love. If you think really hard about what you want most in life, for a lot of us, it's love. If you think about your role model in life, many of us would say they are our role models because they loved us. They invested in us. And if you really think about the thing we take for granted the most in life, I think it would be safe to say love could also be the answer for that question. 

I don't think I always comprehend how significant love is. Sure, I tell my friends I love them when I leave hanging out with them. I sign off calls with my parents with the usual "I love you" and I definitely can say I love pizza. A lot. And those things are all important (maybe not the pizza - well at least as much as human beings) - but have you stopped to think what things would be like without that love? What would it be like to not hear that you are loved from your family and friends daily? Man, that's tricky. 

For our Mizzou Alternative Breaks trip, we served at The Children's Shelter in San Antonio, TX. This shelter takes in kids from all sorts of situations - some of the kids are dropped off there by parents who don't want them anymore. Some are there while their parents try to get back on their feet. Every situation is different. But regardless, those kids are there, at a shelter, without their parents. Without familiar faces in their life who tell them they love them, care for them, etc. Some of them get visits from family members every once in a while. Some, not so much. And it was after serving at The Children's Shelter that I really realized the importance of love, especially as a kid growing up.

I came from a great family background. My parents have always provided for me, made sacrifices so that I could have it as easy as possible, and always expressed their love whenever possible. It was humbling to see how often I take that for granted. Hearing two little girls conversing about whether or not their parents had visited them was hard, considering my parents are just a phone call away at all times. And in those moments, I realized the significance our service was.

While at the shelter, we worked in the classrooms with the kids: playing, tutoring, laughing with them and most of all, loving on them. Even though we only worked with the kids for a day, we were able to show them that we cared. That we loved them. And to know that we might be the only people that had expressed that to them was crazy to imagine.

Throughout the course of our break, we all learned the importance of spreading love and always being thankful and grateful for the love in our lives. That's what Mizzou Alternative Breaks is about - spreading love and making a difference. Sure, we couldn't find the kids we worked with a home and a family who would take care of them forever. But we did love them. And that's what made all the difference.

I asked some of my participants on the trip what their take-away was from the week. And I was so happy to see how much of an impact this trip had on them.

"After a wonderful week in San Antonio, the biggest take-away I received was appreciation. Appreciation for my parents for giving me the basic luxuries in life that many people are not given. Appreciation for my friends for motivating me and inspiring me to greatness. Appreciaiton for Mizzou, for giving me the utmost skills, education and lifelong relationships. Appreciation for my group for inspiring me to be passionate about critical issues facing children in poverty, discovering a new perspective in life, making me a better person through school, work and my relationships, and inspiring me to move forward in life with kindness." -Sandy Patel

"I learned to be flexible, embrace diversity and listen to what people have to say, I learned to work well with individuals and not make generalizations when I first meet somebody -- because chances are, they are completely different from what I thought." -John Bell

"I further experienced how I can learn and benefit from those I serve just as much, if not more than, they learn from me. I learned that service should be a continuous cycle of humans serving other humans and raising them up through selfless service." -Mary Kate Kelly

"I learned to do what makes you happy and to not let anyone else influence what that is. I learned the importance of taking breaks and the value of the amazing conversations it brings about. I learned the meaning of the word family. We knew each other for less than a week and yet I feel closer to them than some of my best friends. Family is not based on the amount of time you spend with someone but by the impact they leave on you and the lessons they teach you. And next time things don't go your way or you're complaining about something meaningless, take a second and think about everyone out there who loves you and has impacted you. Realize that those relationships are what truly matter." -Matt McKeown

I am beyond thankful for Mizzou Alternative Breaks. Leading this trip with 11 other wonderful humans taught me how to love and how to receive love in return.​

- Jackson Farley and the rest of San Antonio 2 crew

Billings, MT - Homelessness and Poverty (Post 7)

Hi friends, family, and fans!  We are all back in Columbia now and after attending our classes again, some of us have reflections to share about the trip. 

Brandon Pilas
The fact that 12 people with such diverse backgrounds could come together and make a difference in a community that no one really thinks about is absolutely incredible. From the long car rides to only getting 3 hours of sleep a night because of reflection, I have created friendships that I would have never made unless I participated in this program, and I know they will last a lifetime. Couldn't have asked for a better time on my first Mizzou Alternative Break Trip. Billings, Montana will always have a special place in my heart. Already, I can't wait to visit again!

Erica Tello
Erica's reflection can be found on her personal blog:  http://wandereatloverepeat.wordpress.com/2014/04/01/asbillings/

Kylee Groon
Billings, Montana was such an odd place to go for service, I had originally thought. Little did I know the impact that city would have on me. Working with the homeless and impoverished community there was extremely eye-opening and I will forever cherish the memories I made working with the children at Head Start Inc. and the adults at The Hub. I was able to really see the need in the community, especially when I was staring it right in the face. I learned that every person, no matter what income level or state of mind, is worthy of love. They are worthy of being noticed and appreciated as a human being. In fact, it is crucial for each of them to have that real love and respect in order to strive for better "things." I learned that even the most simple act could do a world of difference in the eyes of someone suffering to feel accepted in a community where they most often are not accepted. The people I met taught me so much about compassion and vulnerability, to the point where I am now completely willing to make a change in the way I treat anyone I come in contact with. With the help of the #ASBillings crew, I came out of this trip with a new found passion for serving others, 11 best friends, and a true love for the community of Billings, Montana. I miss it so much already.

Luke Blackburn
MAB has been so incredible, and I've love being immersed in the program for the past 2 years. As a site leader, all of the participants made this trip so easy by being open to any little curve ball Sophia or I threw at them. The best part of the trip, hands-down, was being able to serve a community with so much need, but that has an equal amount of hope. Billings has truly taught me that you can never assume what a person's background is and that if you don't stop to appreciate the little things, your life just might be focused on all of the bad. This place, these people, this community, and this trip have all touched my heart this week!

Sophia Mullineaux
Being one of the two site leaders, I have known since the summertime that I would be leading a group of students to serve in Billings.  I have been so excited to introduce new friends and volunteer sites to Mizzou Alternative Breaks and the week did not disappoint.  I formed deep connections in the span of eight days, and as much as I love Columbia, I know a part of me is left in Billings.  The populations we helped have real hurt and experience the pain of homelessness and poverty on a daily basis.  Trying to put into words the things I learned in Billings seems unjust to those who were so open to sharing their stories, but from the children at Head Start to the adults at The Hub and Montana Rescue Mission, my life has been touched.  When we served, we all became more knowledgeable in how to love, a direct relation to the principle we tried to embody on our trip- communicate love.  Carman at The Hub asked us to remember who our support system is and make sure we take care of them.  She also told us that everyone we meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something, and if you get to know what those somethings are, you've become friends and can guide that person out of darkness.  We all kept this in mind throughout the week and allowed ourselves to get close to the children, allowing them to likely impact us more than we impacted them.

As sad as it is, Spring Break is only one week.  We're back in Columbia now and our group is realizing that coming home is hard.  In many cases, the people we have come home to want to understand.  Some people around us are begging for stories with the "Tell me everything.  No seriously, I mean everything." line, but it's hard because they weren't there when we realized Elijah's situation, or when we learned a hard lesson from two hours at Montana Rescue Mission, or when we took a bus tour of the roughest part of Billings.  But, there's a blessing in that.  When coming back home, we have 11 people that we feel connected too, regardless of the fact that we found ourselves coming together in a place 17 hours away.  And after all of the circumstantial things we have in common (classes, campus, Columbia community), we have this trip.  Coming home is hard, because managing your expectations of people is hard.  Coming home is hard, because changed people means changed relationships.  Coming home is hard because explaining the events that changed you is harder than I'd initially imagined.  And coming home is hard because it presents a challenge to encapsulate and explain why everyone needs to experience the power and love that takes place on an Alternative Breaks trip.  From four trips worth of experience, I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you, Billings, for changing our lives.  We will never forget it.

And, while we were in Billings, we made the news!  Check us out here: http://www.kulr8.com/story/25105040/students-from-university-of-missouri-volunteer-in-billings?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Thanks for following along on our journey!

Harleyville, SC - Environment (Post 2)

Tuesday: Trailblazing and Odd Movies

Francis Beidler Forest: Harleyville, South Carolina

The tone for today was set with the assigned goal of reflecting on how our trip impacts both our personal lives and future professional career. With that thought in the back of our heads, we began our second day of official service by clearing a trail that went to a research plot used for tracking bird populations. The data collected is sent to a national database whereupon analytics are performed to determine trends within the avian community. 

Upon opening up a significant amount of trails—more than the director had even hoped for—we got lunch then headed back to the cabin. Once again we found ourselves removing debris from a pathway, this time for one that connected the cabin to the canoe launch point by the swamp. The weather was not ideal, but we hung tough and became "wood piranhas" as our supervisor aptly named us. We continued talks on various aspects of life, including relationships and extraneous passions. 

After dinner, we closed the day by watching an obscure film by the name of "Frogs", which was such a train wreck that we couldn't help but to watch all of it. As bad as the movie may have been, its theme ironically did fit our trip, as it focused on the preservation of both nature and its inhabitants. In the movie, reptiles somehow band together to stage a revolt and overtake humans for mistreating them. While it is unlikely that will ever happen, it is important that we respect nature and preserve the few remaining native lands that we have.

Dallas, TX - Homelessness and Poverty (Post 12)

Reflections with Darron
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The Mizzou Black Men's Initiative Alternative Breaks trip to Dallas had me excited from when I first learned we were taking the trip. Personally, I wanted to participate in MAB, but failed to apply last fall. Also, this spring was my first semester in MBMI, so I was anxious to spend more time with the group and learn more about each person. We left early Friday morning, excused from class the last day before Spring break, and fit tightly into four different rental cars. The bonding between the brothers in the class started immediately as many interesting events happened on the trip to Dallas. Once we arrived, we were excited to get started on our trip!

One great thing about the Mizzou Black Men's Initiative Alternative Breaks trip is that we were able to gain knowledge outside of just our volunteering. Staying true to our mission as an organization at Mizzou, our coordinator lined up a networking opportunity to gain insight on college/post-college life. On Saturday, we met Lincoln Stephens and Robert Weaver, both African-American males who graduated from Mizzou and are doing respectably well in their careers. The advice the brothers were able to give us was invaluable. They talked about how to be successful at Mizzou as a minority student by sharing their successes as well as their mistakes. After enlightening the group, they began to get more in-depth about what each student on the trip was interested in, and wanted to do in life. Using their hindsight, they explain what led to/refrain them from achieving their passions. Overall, the wisdom and motivation I gained from those two brothers changed how I will treat the rest of my semester and last 3 years at Mizzou.







As I mentioned earlier, I really wanted to bond with the class over break. The down time we had after volunteering really gave me that opportunity. We learned about each other's passions while talking to the former students, and that was the ice breaker. Through the car rides, dinners, card games, clowning, and dancing I really feel like I bonded with my classmates. We will be the future leaders of Mizzou and I will need them to be successful in the upcoming years. I am glad we bonded closer so that the relationship doesn't die when we are not in the class together anymore.

Going into the volunteer days, I told the group I really wanted to receive a bigger heart for those less fortunate then me. I had done community service, but I wanted to feel passion from it, instead of it being just another task. Alternative Breaks gave me that opportunity.  On Monday, half our group went to the Food Bank at the Dallas Resource Center. Once we arrived, I found out that the clients at the Food Bank were all HIV+ and 300% below the poverty line, making less than 5,000 a year. I just had to really fathom that information for a second, but then realize that I was meeting these people today, as well. As we worked an clients came to shop for food, I noticed all kinds of people walk through the door. Many different ages, sizes, races of people all dealing with similar problems looked so different. Honestly, you could never tell some of those people were homeless or unemployed. The experience just reinforces the book cover cliché. Working alongside the clients, we were able to listen to their life stories if they began to share. Personally, I benefited from that specifically because you never know what people are going through, and what led them into that position. Honestly, the theme of the volunteering was necessarily learning something new, but reinforcing everything I had always heard with personal experienced that gave me a new heart and perspective on the situation.



That evening in the hotel, a few of my classmates discussed events at the Food Bank that day. While in the longue having an educated discussion, a lady heard us nearby and offered her expertise. She was working on her dissertation to receive her PhD in Gender Studies from a university in New York. She began to educate us in her expertise, but then the conversation took a LGBTQ twist.  She began to irradiate myths we had about the community and help us understand people better. Her friend joined her and gave us personal information about his queer lifestyle. Afterward, she opened up as well, talking about her lesbian lifestyle. The transparency of these two individuals were stumbled upon was a timely experience and revelation, because my half of the classmates were going to serve hot meals in the LGBT Resource Center the next day.



Without that talk, I definitely would have perceived people differently at the food bank. I would not have treated them wrong without the talk, but I felt like understanding the LGBTQ community before serving those in need gave me the compassion I needed to serve with a bigger heart for them Once again, all kinds of people came through the resource center to eat lunch that day. It was an experience in itself to see so many different types of people in one setting. One thing I noticed was that they were all friends and helping each other get through the tough times. However, the tough times had no effect on their countenance as I was great with mostly smiles and thank you's.

​

The Resource Center really appreciated our help. They had never had group of our size come through and help them before. They got the most out of our numbers, too. Afterward, we took many pictures with the volunteers and supervisors. The smiles we were able to put on the volunteer's faces, who work for this cause everyday, meant just as much to me as the clients because they have their own set of problems. However, each day they come into volunteer and focus on the families in need. True heroes. Honestly, this trip was supposedly to be over the subject of homelessness. While we did experience some of that, I feel like we helped other types of categories as well such as HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ, both of which I did not expect. This was definitely an enlightening experience and I plan on doing Alternative Breaks many more times before I graduate.

Darron E. - Freshmen - Kansas City, MO

#MABDallas

Harleyville, SC - Environment (Post 1)

Friday: Free Day in Charleston Francis Beidler Forest: Harleyville, South Carolina

After a full four days of service, it was finally time for our group’s much deserved free day. Before our trip, we discussed a number of possibilities for the day including white water rafting or a day exploring area parks. Our group eventually decided we should spend the day in and around Charleston.

We started off our morning walking the grounds of the Middleton Plantation, a half hour or so outside of Charleston. As a reward for our service, we were given volunteer passes which got us in for free! The plantation was absolutely beautiful. We spend a couple of hours, walking through endless paths lined with roses, trees and courtyards. The plantation spanned for acres, and we enjoyed discovering all of it. We took photos in front of some of the gigantic trees on the grounds, toured a plantation building and petted animals at the barn area.

Next up, our group headed to the beach for lunch and more exploring. We drove another half hour to Folly Beach, where one of our participants, Tyler, saw the ocean for the very first time! We had a delicious lunch at a seafood restaurant and then ran around the boardwalk and beach for a while. Before heading out, we also made a stop at a crepe stand to treat ourselves to dessert.

We left the beach just before it started to pour down rain, and drove to our last stop, Charleston. Most of our group had never been to the city, and we were again impressed with how nice it was. We window shopped on King Street before eating at a Thai restaurant. By this time, night had fallen, and we decided to end our night with a stroll to "the battery." We walked through the quaint, residential streets to find a nice park and gazebo.

By the end of the day, we were all pretty worn out, but everyone said they had a great time. When we finally got back to Harleyville and our cabin, we did some last minute packing and cleaning. It’s sad that the free day was our last day of such a great trip. We have all made so many memories and had a great time getting to know one another and serve this community. Today was a great, fun way to end our time in South Carolina.

Tuscaloosa, AL - Habitat for Humanity (Post 5)

Today was our last day working with Habitat for Humanity. We were all eager to finish the projects we had started and made progress on throughout the week, but at the same time disappointed that our time with Habitat was coming to an end. Along with the progress on different projects at the work site, we saw our relationships with one another continue to grow. One of my favorite aspects of this trip has been the way we all work together and it shows during our work days. Kenton and Madeline finished off their week long project of constructing every single window box. They installed all 13 window boxes which they started on Monday: measured, cut, nailed, stapled, caulked, and painted. They both worked extremely hard and kept their patience the entire time, which you can definitely tell by the end product. Jon, Kyle and Cody spent most of the day waterproofing and putting siding on the tool shed for another home that is currently under construction. The three commented on how each of them did a great job and put equal effort for the end result. Lauren, Alyssa, Bridget, Jamie, Hannah, Shelby and myself (Jessica) spent most of the day inside the house. We were accompanied by another future homeowner, Jennifer, who is living next door. She was very excited the past two days to see that the foundation for her home and the tool shed that the boys were working on had made so much progress. Jennifer has a strong work ethic and had to be kept up with while working. Stephen said that is the best kind of homeowner.

In the morning our big project inside the house was to give the entire inside a second coat of paint and to touch up areas that needed it. We hope that future homeowner Cassandra will be excited and surprised tomorrow when she returns to see her house is painted! The second coat was on right in time for lunch.. and speaking of lunch, today we got to go out to lunch at Jason's deli with Stephen and Lisa. They recommended it to us earlier in the week, so we took an extra long lunch break and indulged in sandwiches and sweet tea! There was also a make your own ice cream cone machine and I'm not going to say some people had more than one ice cream cone, but we did. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful Alabama weather. It was very refreshing!

After lunch, the window boxes continued to be installed, the shed made further progress (with Shelby's help) and the inside crew returned to touching up paint and prepping the floors for flooring to be put in. This process included sweeping off the surface of all the floors, nailing down a black tar paper base and then screwing a heavy sheet down to attach the actual tiles to. Working in teams, this process went very quickly and by the end of the afternoon, that project was complete as well. While we were there today, a concrete crew was also there pouring the driveway and sidewalks. To our disappointment, we were not allowed to put our names or handprints in the wet concrete.

After our final hard day of work was over, we cleaned up the site like each day before and took a picture of our last moments in front of the house. This week our mission was to spread hope and I think it is safe to say mission accomplished. After serving in Tuscaloosa this week, I feel hopeful that I have not only helped to create opportunity and a better living space for the people's houses we worked on, but also advanced myself. The strength of the people like Cassandra and Jennifer who are working so hard to put a roof over their families heads after losing so much and having so many reasons to give up is inspiring and gives me hope that I can do the same for a family someday.

We couldn't get enough of Stephen and Levi this week, so we invited them over for dinner tonight and the boys grilled us hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill. It was delicious and let me tell you how awesome it is to be able to enjoy the weather again!! We played a few rounds of mafia and Egyptian rat screw before hiking up the path to a warm campfire. Growing up my family went camping several times a year and the campfire was always my favorite part. Tonight was special to me because I got to share with my new family something that I have always enjoyed doing—sitting around a campfire just enjoying each other's company.

In our reflection tonight, we had to pick one person who surprised us this week or really made an impact on us. Another topic was how we were going to take aspects of this week back home with us. Finally, we all got to share a special part of ourselves with the rest of the group, information on our Greek chapters. The consensus of our discussion on Greek life individually and as a whole was that it has done nothing but enhance our lives and continually better us as men and women. Our letters, creeds, and ideals may be different, however there is a common goal of leadership, scholarship, sisterhood/brotherhood and service. I can safely say that every individual I have served with this week can say he or she possesses those four qualities and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of the Greek community at Mizzou, or part of the first ever All-Greek ASB trip. This trip has been one of the best experiences of my life thus far… and we have one more day!!

Tomorrow is our free day. We are traveling even further south to New Orleans, Louisiana for what we are hoping is a great food experience and to get another culture experience.

I must go now because it's raining, it's pouring and all the other participants are definitely snoring! Goodnight ASB!

Post trip: We all made it home safe and sound! We had a blast, made memories for a lifetime, served others, and grew as a family. "Yoohoo, family!" We cannot wait to "Bring it home" and serve in Mid-MO!

  

Dallas, TX - Homelessness and Poverty (Post 11)

Reflections with Darius

Having the opportunity to be a part of Mizzou's Black Men's Initiative​ Alternative Spring Break to Dallas, Texas was overall amazing. I know this was almost everyone's first time being in Texas, so I really liked the fact everybody was taken out their comfort zone of the classroom and put into a completely different environment. Before the community service even started all of the brothers of MBMI was able to start to grow stronger bonds with one another through everything we did. It all started with the car ride going down to Texas. Those 8 long hours were all spent talking, laughing, complaining, snacking and sleeping. After getting settled into our hotel rooms, we were able to go out and have fun with one another, or just sit around and relax.



Then the following morning at our Networking event with Mizzou's Alumni, Lincoln Stephens and Robert Weaver, we were given our motto for not only the remainder of the spring break, but for the remainder of our years in college, "Iron sharpens Iron". This phrase to me means that in order for you to get further in life, you have to grow from those people around you, while at the same time helping those around you grow. I consider this our motto because we're all in a great position to become strong black men, and we're only going to get better by building each other up and supporting each other every way possible. Along with our motto, we received a lot of advice in regards to finding ourselves and having confidence in what we want to do in life. Limiting ourselves is the last thing that they recommended us to do, because "The World is ours".  This helped us come closer because a lot of us shared similar struggles, and had similar goals and aspirations, and Lincoln Stephens and Robert Weaver really showed us that we can do anything.





​The most important events of the entire Dallas trip was having the opportunity to volunteer at the Dallas Resources Center, Hot Meals and the Food Bank. We were able to give back to those less fortunate through preparing and serving foods, and helping them obtain certain food choices through a simulated grocery store. It was refreshing just seeing how happy they were to have our assistance; it was very evident that they appreciated our help. Just as it was evident they appreciated our help, we all appreciated our time spent helping them in need. Having a brief background of their living circumstances, and also knowing they were HIV positive, it was a great feeling knowing we could directly help them, just by giving them our time.







Overall I really enjoyed myself being a part of Alternative Spring Break. The bonds I created with those brothers of MBMI are unexplainable. It was definitely time that was needed with each other, and I wouldn't have wanted to spend it with any other guys. We have such a diverse group of young men that has so much potential to be great leaders and innovators on campus. I am proud to say I'm a part of a positive organization full of young men who will be those leaders on Mizzou's campus. Thank you to Mizzou's Black Men's Initiative for such a great experience.



Darius T. - Freshmen -  Chicago, IL

#MABDallas 

Dallas, TX - Homelessness and Poverty (Post 10)

From the Zou to the Zoo
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Our friends at the Resource Center Dallas (RCD) hooked us up with passes to the Dallas Zoo! Talk about feeling like a kid again! From the Meerkats to the Chimpanzee frenzy to feeding the Giraffes it was certainly a great time. Below are a few photos from are zoo trip!

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Chimpanzee watching...


Still watching...


Still watching....


Oh look, its our hungry friend... "Bogo" the giraffe!!


Feed Bogo... take a photo... repeat...






So many #MABadSelfies but one with a giraffe takes the cake!


Just maxing and relaxing.

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Group photo in front of the Dallas Zoo sign at the entrance.



#MABDallas

Motezuma Creek, UT - Native American Issues (Post 6)

While Utah has been absolutely phenomenal for our group, there is no better way to describe our experience than straight from the participants themselves.

Erin: For the past two years I have spent my spring breaks serving in other parts of the world, such as Guatemala and El Salvador with my high school. I signed up for Alternative Spring Break because it seemed like the natural thing to do since it was I had done for the past two years...yet, I had no idea what an impact this trip would make on my life. I never expected to grow so close to people who just a week ago were total strangers and I certainly never thought I would experience what I did in Utah, such as eating dinner with Mormons and getting to attend an intimate Navajo ceremony. I also could never thought that my heart could be stolen so quickly by the students and teachers of Bluff Elementary School, who work so hard with so little, which is beyond inspiring for me to apply to my life. This trip and the relationships I made will be carried with me to Columbia and put to good use.



Brooke: This experience has been beyond anything I could have ever imagined. When I was first told that I would be going to Utah I didn't think very much of it but after this week I can't imagine having gone anywhere else. Picking a moment from the week to say was my favorite is honestly impossible. The smiles on the children's faces as we walked into the school each day, picking up rocks to put around a sundial in the front yard, meeting many amazing people that I may never have gotten the chance to meet, that was my favorite part about the trip. I know that our group has forever changed those children's lives, and they have forever changed ours.



Kelli: This trip it is hard to jam in all into a few short sentences. Going into this trip I was unsure of this entire thing, because I was going to Utah. I mean what is there to do in Utah? News flash! A lot. This week has been the best week I have ever experienced and I am so grateful to be given the opportunity to serve in the amazing state of Utah. I have learned to serve and be served by the amazing children of Bluff Elementary.



Meredith: I am so thankful for this opportunity to volunteer at Bluff Elementary through Mizzou Alternative Breaks with my crew. This trip has been incredibly inspiring and I enjoyed every minute working with the students of Bluff and getting to experience and learn about new cultures. This trip gave me perspective and opened my eyes. I can't imagine spending my spring break any other way. Bluff Elementary will always have a special place in my heart, and I will never forget their motto: we can do hard things!

Calli: This trip was very eye opening and mind opening. It showed me so many things about myself, people around me, and different cultures. Working at Bluff Elementary School was a great experience because I saw how we served the children, but also how they gave us something in return. The children gave us a new perspective on Native American culture. I learned so many invaluable things on this trip and I would not trade it for anything.  

Uliana: This was truly an extraordinary experience for me. I could write a book about what happened during this one week and it still would probably not be enough. My horizons expanded dramatically; the places I saw, the people I met and feelings that I felt all of this forms into one of the most amazing adventures of my life.



Kyrie: This past week in Bluff had a tremendous impact on me. The experiences I was able to be part of blew away all expectations I had before leaving. From the bonds I was able to create with the children at Bluff Elementary to visiting a Navajo family on the reservation, this trip changed my outlook on the world. It was heart-warming how the children and others were able to open up and share their stories with me in just one week. Whether it was no running water or a missing father figure, they all had something to share. I loved being immersed in the Navajo community, and learning about their culture. I will never forget their stories or way of life. This trip has challenged me to reach out more to the community of Columbia, and learn about those who live around me.



Kate: If I had to describe the trip in one word it would be "indescribable". There were so many things that happened this past week that affected my life in ways I could have never imagined. The fact that they all happened in one week baffled my mind. From the students at Bluff Elementary to the people we encountered on the road, my mind and life feel completely altered. I now am working really hard to find ways to keep service a part of my daily routine, and I am seriously considering changing my career goals. I cannot describe how great this week was for me, but I'm hoping that the things I bring back to school and my life will show others how much I was impacted by it.



Lyndsey: Pinpointing my favorite moment of this trip is hard to do because there are so many moments that stick out to me as being impactful. The bonds I made with the students at Bluff Elementary in just a short week are so heartwarming. Those kids will forever be in my heart and they impacted my life in the most positive way possible. Also, getting to learn more about the Navajo culture made this trip even more impactful then I could ever had imagined. The lifelong friendships that I made on this trip are what stick out most to me. I know these are people that I could come to with any problem I may have and I feel so blessed to have met them.

Sam: MAB is about service. It's about hope. It's about new experiences. But for me, above all, it's about relationships. This is my third year participating in the program and I continue to be blown away by the relationship-building power this program wields in just a week's time. We spent the last night of our trip in my basement with each person sharing a story that defined them. We went to a Native American Hogan this week, we ate dinner with Mormons, we saw Arches National Park, and we had a blast serving the students of Bluff Elementary School, but nothing compared to tonight. 11 people pouring out their heart and sharing the burdens that weigh on them daily. We all have scars and burdens that we carry. There is great power and freedom in sharing those burdens, but it is so difficult. It takes trust. It takes truly feeling like others care. Seeing 11 people feel confident enough to share their hearts tonight was a moment I won't soon forget and a true testament to the amazing power of MAB. This "Utah Crew" became a family this week and I couldn't ask for better people to share our hearts and tears with on this final night.



Julia:  This week has been so incredible that I cannot even begin to put into words what it was like or what my favorite part was. First, all of our participants were absolutely AMAZING! We had our ups and downs and definitely had to "Be Gumby" along the way with different obstacles such as not having a kitchen for a few days, moving housing in the middle of the week, and not entirely knowing what we were doing when we got to Bluff, BUT our girls were troopers and just went along with everything trusting that we would get where we needed to. I am so proud of each and every one of them for being willing to chip in where needed, facing their fears, stepping out of their comfort zones, being such great role models for the kids at Bluff Elementary and for the passion that each of them developed for the kids and for learning more about the Navajo culture. Throughout this week I spent a majority of my time in the 3rd, 4th/5th, and preschool classrooms. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to spend time with these kids getting to know them and assisting them with their schoolwork when they needed it. But even more than getting to see them succeed on their schoolwork I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the Navajo culture and seeing them excited to tell me what they know about their culture. Having the opportunity to be immersed in a culture that I was not familiar with was such an amazing experience and I really enjoyed getting to learn from everyone that I encountered. Finally, I enjoyed the experiences that I was able to share with all of our participants and watching the relationships among our group grow and develop as we served together and shared our stories. If you want to know more, please don't hesitate to ask me about our trip, I am more than willing to share!

​

Much Love,

Utah Crew!

Montezuma Creek, UT - Native American Issues (Post 5)

Tuesday was another full day of service at Bluff Elementary School. The group split up once again to work in various classrooms and on other projects.

This morning Brooke, Kate, and I finished revitalizing a sundial that we had been working on the last three days. We've been collecting rocks from a local canyon to use as landscaping for the sundial. It turned out really cool and is definitely a much needed facelift to the front of the school.

Kelli and Erin spent the day reorganizing a library. The library started as a complete mess, but by the end of the day they had organized everything into categories to make reading easy for everyone. Everything was organized according to different "AR" levels, which is a reading program the school participates in.

Everyone else continues to spend time investing in children and getting to see them grow throughout the week. Several of our trip members shared stories of the improvements they are seeing kids make, in part because of the individualized attention we've been able to provide this week.

We ended the day by cooking our first real meal of the trip (we've been without a kitchen up until now). Our tacos were delicious and definitely satisfying after a long day of service! After dinner we had story time with Uliana, who continues to make all of us laugh hysterically practically every time she speaks.

Reflections time this evening were great. Everyone shared stories of the bonds they are already forming with the children. These bonds are forming into relationships where the students feel comfortable sharing about their lives. Many members of the group shared stories the kids told them about the difficult situations they are dealing with at home. It was an opportunity for us all to learn about the poverty and other various hardships that many of these children deal with on a daily basis. But despite all these things occurring in their lives, almost every student there brings with them a positive spirit that has inspired all of us to live life with a little more joy.

Tomorrow Kate, Brooke, and I are learning how to weave willow! Should be a cool new experience.
                                         
Utah Crew is having a blast and can't wait to see what the rest of the week has in store!

Sam Rourke / MAB Bluff, Utah

Montezuma Creek, UT - Native American Issues (Post 4)

Today was our third day volunteering at Bluff Elementary School! The weather was drastically different than it has been the previous two days. At times there was so much wind that it was difficult to see the massive canyons and rocks that surround us. It was also a very exciting day for some of us that have been spending our days outside of the classroom working on the garden and a life-size sundial. Today we got to meet with a man named Kyle who has been weaving willow branches for the past twenty years. He and his adorable granddaughter took us a few miles outside of town and helped us collect our own branches to make a fence for the elementary school garden. After much cutting and bending, our group got to construct the fence and announce that the garden is finally complete!

Aside from the garden and weather, our group got to work cleaning the inside of classrooms and surfaces that the janitor doesn't often get around to. Other members of our group worked on designing new bulletin boards, grading papers, teaching the alphabet, and even learning more about the Navajo culture. One of our favorite things we have experienced this week is sitting in on the students' daily Navajo Culture and Language classes. Two of our own, Kelli and Erin, took extra time out of their day to sit and talk to the teacher, Ms. Claw,  about her experiences and life on the Reservation.  They gained valuable information and opinions about the continuing of the Navajo culture in coming generations. Their curiosity and love of this culture has really benefitted our group as a whole and we are now all better able to understand the situations of the students and staff we are working alongside.

Although these students have taught us so much about the culture of the Navajo nation, we were also given another learning opportunity today. While working outside, three missionaries from the Church of the Latter Day Saints (more commonly known as Mormons) came up to the school and talked to us for a little bit. After discussing with the rest of the group, we decided to invite the three to our residence for some ice cream and conversation! It was so nice to again be exposed to new things on our trip and it opened all of our minds to different aspects of faith and lifestyles. We not only shared ice cream, but also the love of some of our group's favorite things, Harry Potter and Lost. The three were very friendly and open to any questions we had, and the night ended in laughter and the exchange of emails. This trip has presented so many different things to our group that I know we are all so thankful for.

 

Tomorrow will surely bring more surprises and fun, and I know we all can't wait to spend our last full day at the school in classrooms teaching and learning. Keep checking back for updates on our trip, and we will try to keep you updated! Although we have very little internet service here…

Kate Hargis / MAB Bluff, Utah

Gulfport, MS - Habitat for Humanity (Post 5)

Bring it Home

Yesterday's theme of the day was "Bringing it home." Throughout the day we focused on things that we could gain from this experience and apply back home at Mizzou. The day began slow due to the rainy weather and flooding in the street on the way to our work site. After parking the van in a safe location we used our larger vehicle to get everyone safely to the site.

Once we all made it to the site we got back to work by finishing up tasks inside of the home we had all become pretty attached to. We were split into groups by the site supervisor that were instructed to either clean floors, finish painting trim, or place finishing touches on the walls.  The group quickly realized that all of the work we had done earlier in the week left us with fewer tasks to complete, and only the finishing touches were left. That being said, we managed to complete the remaining tasks within a half-day's time.

While finishing up tasks around the house we also got to know our site coordinators a little better. We even learned that our site coordinators were engaged (which we had no idea about) and got to even hear their engagement story during our morning break.

As we realized that the trip was beginning to wrap up we all started to be able to see how we were personally impacted by our experience in Gulfport. The entire trip benefited each volunteer in our group in a different way. A variety of things that were gathered from the trip included new construction skills, an increased drive to further serve others, life-long friendships, a better understanding of the purpose of serving others, and many other countless things.​

Hailey Lenahan and Chad Phillips



Our group with our site manager, Ken

Montezuma Creek, UT - Native American Issues (Post 3)

Today in the bountiful town of Bluff, Utah we awoke in the early morning and ventured to the Bluff Elementary School once again. Lyndsey and I worked with the 1st grade class, as we have been doing all week. First we made copies for the teacher, which helps her out a lot because then she can focus on the children and their lessons. Next we proctored a pre-test, this test was focused on testing them over things that they have possibly not learned yet. It was difficult for some the kids, but it was just used for the teacher so that she could plan her future lessons and honed in on what needs to be taught. Next we did a math lesson, we learned about adding and subtracting the tens. After that we had center, in this time we take a group of kids and read with them or help them on worksheets. They had a spelling test the next day so they did some worksheets having to do with that. Lunch and recess are a fun time because we really get to chat with the kids and they all want to talk to you at once. Then we went to the computer room and they did iReady, math, and reading activities. I helped some of the kids with their math and I felt that they really benefited from this because they got some one on one time that they otherwise would have not gotten. I saw them improve and learn new concepts, which was very rewarding. Another highlight of the day was playing dodge ball with the 4th graders. They were really excited to have us playing with them, and it was a lot of fun playing with them.

Also, other things that were today were making a bulletin board about going to college to encourage the kids. It fits well with the school because their motto is 'we can do hard things'. I think this is a really awesome motto for the school because the school is very small and in the grand scheme of things it can seem insignificant. But after working with the kids it is obvious that they are very intelligent, sweet, and caring. They are very significant and it makes me sad that the school does not get the attention that it deserves. The school is a wonderful close-knit group of students and teachers. Coming to their school you can see that they care about each other deeply, you can see that because they all know each other by name. This was one of the first things that really struck me. So making that bulletin board will be a reminder that people do believe in them and they can reach for their dreams and achieve them. Being at Bluff Elementary reminds me that the small things do matter, these kids matter, and having successful schools matters.

In having gotten close to a few of the students in the 1^st grade class I have come to realize a few things. First, all these children crave is attention. They always want to hold my hand, hug me, sit by me at lunch, and tell me about themselves. You could say that this is any kid under that age of 8, but I think the main difference is that most of these children live in low income or in poverty. You can see this by the way they dress, their lack of hygiene, and cavities. Also, knowing a little about the Native American Reservation, and knowing that some of the students live there, you can infer that they are in the lower income class. I can really tell that they want attention, which means they might not get this at home, so I am glad that they can get some of this attention at school. Another thing I have realized is they all want me to read with them when we have reading time. Personally my parents read to me every night since I was little, and I really thing that helped me in school and also just growing in my love for reading which is something I think everyone should experience. Seeing these kids hang on to my every word while reading them a story made we wonder if their parent/guardian read to them at night. It made me really appreciate that my parents did that for me and I personally think that a child should be read to daily. Another thing that is noticeable is that the students, at least the younger ones, blurt out very serious things such as a family member dying or being left by a parent. I really think that these issues should be acknowledged at school. And maybe they are being acknowledged and we just do not know about it. Although I think it should be a bigger part of that school, for example they could bring in a counselor, which I know would be a high cost for the school, but I think the students would really benefit from it.

In the afternoon we were invited to the Navajo teacher's house on the Reservation. We were all really excited about going because we have heard about the Reservation from the students and teachers all week, so we were excited to see the conditions first hand. The Navajo teacher's house was out in the middle of nowhere. Her closest neighbors were her own family members. Their living conditions were very different from what we are use to. They did not have electricity or plumbing. So the bathroom was like an outhouse. They had a lot of animals, such as horses, goats, llamas, dogs, cats, and chickens. The majority of our trip really enjoyed the goats; they had baby goats, which were very cute. Also, her sister made us dinner; she made fried bread and beans. They were delicious. All of her family was very welcoming, so much so that they invited us to a Native American ceremony. The ceremony was so interesting because we got to see something that most people do not get to see and it is the core of their culture. I really enjoyed going to the Reservation because we got to see how they lived and saw the core of their culture.

Calli Luna/MAB Bluff, Utah