When the EE trip day approached, the students were not enthusiastic. During the bus ride, students mostly talked about how fun the trip’s original destination, Everland would be. As students arrived at Dasarang local farm, the group gathered up in front of a decrepit house, located in a rural area. One of the farmers living there, Pastor San, introduced himself and described his life in Dasarang Farm. He said that only 15 farmers were living there; they had to work for their profits because there was no government aid. Pastor San suffered from a crippled leg, and 14 other farmers also had different disabilities. Pastor San introduced another man next to him, who had an intellectual disability. Despite the disadvantages posed by their disabilities, all the farmers there looked delightful and happy. There were no signs of any concerns or problems. After witnessing the positive attitudes of the farmers at Dasarang area, many students felt very ashamed of themselves for complaining about the trip as well as their minor discomforts.
“This trip was a turning point for me because I always thought that, if I would give help to someone, it would be for people living in Africa or other impoverished areas in the world, but I never looked around myself,” quoted Yoonsung Kim, one of the students who visited the Dasarang Farm.
“Although we didn’t directly fund them, I think it was more meaningful to contribute our time and effort for the fifteen farmers there. Since I feel like I brought them happiness and convenience, I felt very pleased when we finished all our work,” quoted Grace Choi, another student who visited the Dasarang Farm.
When it was time to leave, there was a resounding “Thank you” from the farmers. The students could feel their sincerity. Although most of the students, as well as the writer, were grumpy about the trip at the beginning, students learned the joy of helping others in need. Moreover, the farmers’ constant positive attitude taught a lesson to the students who had a negative attitude. Through this experience, students are expecting to have more opportunities in the future to visit places like Dasarang Farm.
Violet Hyun