Bayville, NJ
United States
I spent 9 days in the Dominican Republic with a group called Jersey G.O.E.S. (Group of Extraordinary Students). We took part in the Village Mountain Mission Project and began work on three houses in the village of Luperon. Along with building a physical home, we built bonds with the families we worked with and created relationships that overcame all boundaries of socioeconomic class, nationality, and language.
Diversity is the most interesting aspect about everything we do as human beings. No matter who you're with, the people around you will always have at least one thing that makes them unique. These differences should be embraced and shared with the world, not shut down and suppressed. It is difficult, at times, to look at humanity and see anything besides hate and intolerance. A number of tragedies have occurred in my lifetime, but I believe that in times like these, it is crucial to try to find the silver lining in people. In light of recent events in Boston, a comedian, Patton Oswalt, said an incredible thing: "So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 'The good outnumber you, and we always will.'" No evil :)