Selflessness and Service: Lessons from the Appalachia Service Project

On paper, the decision between helping yourself or helping others seems pretty easy -- at least it does for me. Growing up in the Methodist church, I have always been taught to offer what I can to those in need, whether that be a service, money, food, or kindness. One of the ways in which we learn about the importance of giving back is through mission work, and for high school and college students in my church, this means the Appalachia Service Project. As a young girl, I couldn’t wait until it was my turn to be on an ASP crew. And when I finally began experiencing these trips, I loved everything about them -- the work, the relationships, the fun memories. In addition to these annual summer trips, I would also spend two weeks every summer working

As enriching as the fair is for me, helping me to grow in my faith and sociability, it is also where I make most of my income for the year, as I do not hold a steady job during the school year. So, when the dates for the fair and for ASP clashed during my sophomore summer, I had a difficult decision to make. Would I choose to support my empty bank account for the next year by working at the fair, or would I choose to help those with no bank account at all in Appalachia? It came down to a choice -- mission or money?

The Appalachia Service Project is a Christian ministry that aspires to repair homes in Central Appalachia through volunteer service. Last year alone, 17,030 volunteers served with ASP to provide critical repairs to 642 homes and families (ASP Home, About). Last year was also the 17th year that my church has been sending crews to volunteer and it was personally my third year as a volunteer. As a volunteer, I travel to an ASP location somewhere in Central Appalachia for a week, spending the day working on site and spending the evenings participating in devotions and lessons. We also get to experience culture nights, where we learn

Although I knew that I truly did need that money for the year until next summer, I felt guilty during the entirety of the fair and several weeks after, as I got to hear all about the week of ASP that I missed -- the new families, the crazy job sites, the memorable stories. Of course, I had a great experience working with my friends and family at the fair. I love the Marshall girls like sisters. We talk like best friends, we love each other like family, and we explore the fair like the crazy “carnies” we truly are. We not only have fun around each other, but the work is so cathartic. I could be cooking waffles or making dough for hours, and the time will fly because the work is so relaxing. Even with the good times at the fair, I couldn’t help but feel like I was selfish in my decision to make money instead of helping the families in Appalachia who really needed the help. As I continued to contemplate about the emotional experience of mission ASP, I realized that the families in Appalachia are not the only people in need. There are so many service opportunities in my own community to get involved with. That year, I helped my youth pastor by chaperoning middle school trips, accepting a leadership role for the younger kids to look up to. I also became active within the service clubs at my school. When the Village Academy Key Club organized a shoe drive for Soles4Souls, I helped head the