Teamwork 101

Today we spent the entire day dry walling a house with which Common Ground is affiliated. The house was flooded five years ago when the levees were breached due to Hurricane Katrina. It has been some time since I last dry walled and after a little retraining and being arranged in teams we were off. It was interesting to observe a dog kenneled up in a large enclosure inside the house. It was explained that on at least two separate occasions after the electrical wiring had been installed the house had been burglarized. The thieves ripped out all of the wiring. They destroyed 10K worth of work and resources for $300 worth of copper wire. Therefore, the owner of the house leaves a dog behind for security reasons and stops by regularly to attend to it.

It has been amazing to watch and be a part of the service group as a teacher and as a “peer”. The team work has been unbelievable from weeding gardens, to pulling out concrete footings, food preparation, and now dry walling. It is amazing to see a group of people who really didn’t know each other come together so easily and naturally. I think this transition is so fluid because we are working towards the same goal. There are personality conflicts and different belief systems amongst the group members, but that has not stopped them from learning from each other and adjusting to these “differences”. The uniting factor is that we have the same goal. We all believe in that goal and are doing our part to reach it. It is pleasing to watch students take leadership roles during one task and then serve a supporting role in another. They also are eager to learn and teach each other and are open to suggestions. The parents of this group of students must be very proud of the fine young men and women they have raised. Wartburg ought to be proud of how they are representing themselves and the institution. The students should be proud of what they have accomplished and the solid base that has been created from which to build.

This service-trip could end today and it would be successful on so many levels…luckily we have three days left. Three days to make a larger impact on NOLA, to develop deeper and more meaningful relationships with each other, to acquire new skills and additional knowledge, and to continue to evolve as people and citizens. We ARE living lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of our faith and learning. I know that I am learning and growing as much as the students and am blessed to have the opportunity to co-lead this trip.