If you wish to submit a Christian Service reflection, please email Lucia Marchionda, [email protected]
Aphnan | Grade 11 Student | BR
Through this experience, I learned how to be patient with others and myself. I learned to open my heart up to other people, take advice, and work with kids. I had to have an open mind to work with others. I changed my perspective to meet the perspective of the kids I worked with. I learned that everyone has rights and is worthy of love and respect through this experience. The Hamilton Public Library honours and treats everyone with respect, and we are taught to do so in all situations.
Fares | Gr. 10 Student | SJB
Throughout the Christian Service opportunity at the summer program, I realized I can handle challenges better than I thought especially when it comes to stepping out of my comfort zone. It also taught me to be more aware of what other people are going through each day. The Christian Service opportunity made me realize how much I enjoyed helping people each day during the summer. The thing I learned about other people is that they are kind and grateful for the help they received, even if it was a small gesture. I also learned how nice and welcoming other people can be to each other at this Christian Service placement. Through this Christian Service Volunteer opportunity, I learned that everybody has a role in this society. It is so important and crucial for people to collaborate and work with each other. In conclusion, this Christian Service program enabled me to have an eye-opening experience that taught me valuable lessons about individuals, society and myself.
Lily | Grade 9 Student | St. Mary
I want to start off by saying that I loved my Christian service opportunity and watching the kids smile! I learned that when I work hard for other people, it makes memories for them and puts a smile on their faces. Something that I learned about myself is that I need to persevere through hard work because it will positively affect someone in the end. I learned that other people would appreciate your actions, even if they don't show it in the start, or if they don't recognize your actions at all, they will look back one day and appreciate you! Lastly, I learned that society could be more appreciative and recognize the actions we do. To sum if up, I have learned many valuable tools from this week of Christian service hours.
Janet | Grade 11 Student | BR
Through this Christian service opportunity, I learned a lot of things. Some of these things were also helpful to me in my everyday life. I learned the importance of leadership, cooperation, and teamwork. Children can be very hyper and a lot to handle. But with proper leadership skills, I found they are most effective when they are working with one another. As a society, I learned that when people work together, it is easier to get the job done faster. I found that the other volunteers who worked with me were very cooperative and had teamwork skills.
Jeffery | Grade 12 Student | SJB
During this volunteer experience with the Chaplaincy team at SJB, I have learned more about myself and to volunteer as a team. Our society is always awesome, and it was a great experience to help. Being able to help fundraise such things as Christmas miracle for families in need, or when it comes to just supporting the community, I realized during this experience that everyone is nice and willing to help each other in need.
MacKenzie | Grade 12 Student | St. Mary
I learned that I'm more patient and responsible than I realized, and that I enjoy helping others when they need support.
Working with students showed me that everyone learns differently, and that a little encouragement can make a big difference. It also made me see how important it is for our community to support schools and young people because society works best when we take care of each other!
Oluwatosin | Grade 12 Student | BR
I learned that I am a decent public speaker through this Christian service opportunity. I learned that other people tend to be more engaged when given fun activities to go along with education. Appealing to children makes opportunities more engaging, and more people will probably support the cause by donating.
I learned that I have a hidden talent for helping and serving people. I like watching something I put effort into coming to fruition over time. I learned that when you offer what other people love like food for a good cause, they are more likely to support you. If society came together, we could bring change through small things. It just takes one little step.
Layla | Grade 12 Student | SJB
What I learned about myself through volunteering at the Cancer Assistance Program was that I value meaningful work and realized that I feel more motivated when my actions help others knowing that my participation could make a difference and my volunteerism more purposeful. Everyone needs support at times, and it is okay to ask for assistance especially through those in need of a wig after chemotherapy. What I learned about society is that volunteering through CAP is essential because it provides comfort and assists individuals that have or have gone through cancer in their life. This volunteer opportunity allowed me to make individuals feel a little bit better about themselves
Alyssa | Grade 9 Student | BR
I learned that I could multitask. I also learned that I had good time management skills and that making mistakes is perfectly fine. If you make a mistake, someone will let you know and help you fix it. People are always there to help you need it. All you have to do is ask. Even though you don’t know people, they will still come up to you and ask how it is going or ask for directions. Everyone there is very nice.
Jenna | Grade 9 Student | SJB
Through volunteering in an elementary school system, I learned that I have more patience and creativity than I realized. I discovered that I enjoy helping others learn and that I can take initiative when something needed to get done in the classroom. I observed that everyone learns differently and understanding with kindness can make a big difference. I also realized by volunteering how much it takes for teachers to organize and create a positive environment in a school system. Through this Christian Service Volunteer experience, I learned how important education and community involvement are shaping young minds. It made me appreciate the role schools can play in helping children grow, not just academically, but emotionally and socially.
Halle | Grade 12 Student | St. Mary
Through this Christian service opportunity, I learned that I am capable of showing compassion and kindness in simple but meaningful ways. Writing letters helped me realize that even small actions, like taking the time to write encouraging words, can make a positive difference in someone’s life. I also learned that I enjoy helping others and that I can be patient and thoughtful when thinking about other people’s feelings. I learned that many elderly people in old age homes may feel lonely, especially during special times like the holiday season. They appreciate being remembered and valued. This activity helped me understand that people of all ages need love, connection, and encouragement, and that kind words can bring comfort and happiness. Through this service, I learned that society sometimes overlooks the elderly, even though they have lived full lives and have much wisdom and experience. It showed me the importance of community and looking out for one another, especially those who may feel forgotten. Society becomes better when people take time to care for and support those in need.
Adam | Grade 12 Student | BR
I learned that I’m patient and good at staying calm in stressful situations. My language skills are a gift I can use to help others. I saw that many travellers feel nervous when there’s a language barrier, and even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. I learned that society works best when people support one another and that understanding across cultures brings people closer together.
Sarah | Grade 12 Student | SJB
What I learned about myself through volunteering was to serve the community through this Christian Service opportunity and to teach about the word of God. You can teach the Word of God in a Jungle, a Church, playing games or even watching movies. This volunteer opportunity at the Most Blessed Sacrament Parish taught me that God is always present and that we can incorporate his word through our talents. I learned that other people through Bible school is unique and carefully made in God’s image. Some children are talented in singing, some at dancing, and other in communication. It was interesting to learn about other group leaders and classmates by working together as a team. Their bright personalities made responsibility more manageable and successful. Some camp leaders demonstrated assertiveness, while others brought smiles to kids faces. Our own gifts are what made the camp exciting, and we would have not been successful without each other. I learned about society and how some children have different learning styles. For example, in grade 10 careers class, listening to tunes and beats through the sing-along or Bible stories enabled many other children to do better at moving their body and participating in physical games, such as dodgeball. I saw that this experience helped individuals learn the obstacles of growing with Christ. The arts and crafts sessions taught not only camp followers how God made us beautiful through making picture frames but showed all participants that we are blessed with the gift to create, just like the Lord does.
Isabella | Grade 9 Student | St. Mary
I learned that I really like meeting new people and doing fun new things. I didn’t know anyone at Missions, so I was nervous, but after talking to people, I learned that, despite being extremely introverted, I enjoyed the experience. The most important thing I learned about myself is that I enjoy the company of people. I used to think being alone was better, but in the presence of others I can see God working through His creations.
Since I didn’t yet know anyone, I imagined the trip to be boring, but I learned that people can be very welcoming. A lot of people who had been there before talked to me. I learned that even though other people may seem scary, they might actually be very sweet and kind people. I felt really welcomed by the Mission. I do think that we shouldn’t judge others, instead you can just talk to each other.
While we were giving out hot chocolate, I noticed that there are different types of people in society - one of which being the type of people who ignore you or glare at you when you offer them hot chocolate and others that say yes or even kindly acknowledge, but turn it down. In today’s society, the first type of person is more common, which is extremely unfortunate. But there are still a few kind people out there in the world.
Antonio | Grade 11 Student | BR
I learned that I enjoy helping others and can be patient and caring in a supporting manner. Seniors enjoy small acts of kindness like sitting with them and talking about their lives. Society needs more people willing to give their time and care to connect with the elderly.
Benjamin | Grade 9 Student | SJB
Volunteering at the Good Shepherd showed me that I am more empathetic and patient than I realized. It also helped me to see how meaningful small acts of kindness can be to help those in need and how well I can work with others toward a shared goal. I learned that everyone has a story and struggles that are not always visible. Many people I met through this Christian service volunteer opportunity at the Good Shepherd showed resilience, gratitude, and kindness.
I saw how issues like poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity affect many people in our community due to factors that these individuals have no control over. This volunteer experience showed me the importance of community support, social responsibility, and living out the Christian values by helping those in need.
Joseph | Grade 12 Student | BR
During my time volunteering, I learned that I still have a lot to learn about taking care of children. They can be difficult at times, but I also learned that I am very good at improvising in difficult situations to make the experience of the children as good as possible. I learned that communication and understanding others is so important no matter how different you are from others. In this case, I was working with adults triple my age, which could be intimidating at times, but I learned how to overcome this for the better of the children.
Sharon | Grade 10 Student | SJB
My volunteer services I learned that I am responsible and willing to help others. I also realized that I can stay committed to a task over time and work well in a team environment. People appreciate acts of services, even small ones and working together as a team can make tasks easier and create a positive environment. Being involved in volunteering plays an important role in supporting communities and helps bring people together and shows the importance of kindness, services, and helping those around us in the community.
Khadija | Grade 11 Student | BR
Volunteering as a reading buddy at the Hamilton Public Library taught me a lot about myself, other people, and the world around me. I realized that I have more patience than I anticipated, especially since the last time I volunteered there. I also learned that I genuinely enjoy and find comfort in working with kids. Additionally, I learned how different everyone’s learning journey can be and how much courage it takes for a kid to try, struggle, and keep going. On a bigger scale, this experience made me see how important libraries are to our community, not just as a place for books, but as spaces where people feel valued, connected, and safe.
Amanda | Grade 12 Student | BR
Through this Christian opportunity, I learned that I am a very compassionate individual. Prior to this opportunity, I had never been involved in this type of setting or had much experience within healthcare. This experience helped me gain knowledge and sensitivity to diseases that put people in the hospital. I learned that various types of people exist within this community and all the roles in healthcare are vital to a patient’s well-being. There are various responsibilities that society has to the vulnerable. I learned about the emotional, social, financial, and spiritual responsibilities that society owes to those who are hospitalized.