Am I Making a Difference? by Heidi, Summer Intern, Mexico 08

Am I making a difference? I am one person of thousands that go to Mexico. There are organizations that stay for years that build houses, schools, clinics, hospitals. They provide education for the young and old. There are numerous organizations that do numerous things, and I am only one person in one organization trying to make change. I know that I am making a difference inside of myself. Consciously and unconsciously. I am growing, and if I listen hard enough, I swear I can hear it. I change my mind about things almost on a daily basis. The one way I thought of something can drastically change by the day. That’s the beauty of being in a foreign country. And if I look closely enough, I see every participant and leader change around me. And the change is for the better. We are learning how to live together, listen to each other, learn from one another. It’s a beautiful thing. Life is a beautiful thing. I know that I am making a difference about perceptions. Everywhere Hero Holiday travels, we try to be as respectful as possible. I know that this is changing Mexican minds about “North American people”. You never really know how one smile and ‘hola’ to one person can change another person’s day, or even life. A smile is a spark of love that can turn into a bush fire in a matter of minutes. Perceptions are very unique and very changeable. Canadian and Mexican perceptions change every day. I know that I am making a difference to one family this week. One family is going to get a house. A house. Something that is tangible, something that is built by love. Something that will make a difference. I am going to put sweat, hopefully not blood, and lots of tears into a house that will potentially change lives. There are three children that will live in the house. One could become the 21st century Rosa Parks. One could become president of Mexico. One could become a wonderful, caring, giving mother that has lots of wonderful, caring, giving babies. Am I making a difference? Yes. I am making a difference.