Community Week 1

First week of community complete. A little more tanned from all my walking, a little more street wise and my eyes, a little more opened to the beauty and potential a community offers.

What first struck me one the first day was the hospitality from the community. We were welcomed with open arms and are looked after by some of the members. This may be due to the legacy the previous group of students have left behind. I also noticed that there is already a sense of love and nuture from the members of the community for the members of the community. Feeding schemes, soup kitchens and the general concern that the members have for each other. The community want to help better themselves but just need the right platform and a few helping hands pointing them in the right direction. This does make our job as OT's a little easy.

What really inspired me was the connection between the members and the love they have for each other. Everyone on the street greets each other and knows what is going on in each others lives. Women meet in the mornings with tea and do each other's hair, neighbours walk the blocks children to and from school, women give up their time to make soup for other peoples children, youngsters holding each others hands when walking to school. People associate a community with poverty but these people are rich in the things that matter...love, unity, cohesion and concern for each other. I have never experienced that in the neighbourhoods i have lived in and i wish i had. This creates an indescribible vibe within the community that creates excitment and motivation within me.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed by the community block, it combines everything we have learnt and all OT's will agree with me that it is ALOT!!! It is very different to any block I have been on, we are independant which carries alot of responsibility but creates the largest learning oppertunity I have been exposed to. Alot of reading and revising is going to have to take place this weekend.

Progress has been made and so far so good within the community. The people are welcoming and are more than happy to allow us to assist and make a difference. They do love and care for their community and want to better their lives and childrens lives.

I am inspired by the community and frightened by the magnitude of the ot intervention that needs to take place. buuuuuuutttttt......
“Good things come to those who wait… greater things come to those who get off their ass and do anything to make it happen.” - Unknown
Time to make great things happen!