The Importance of Volunteering
By Salimah Boufath 2010 Graduate of Aqsa School
Volunteering is the best source for filling up your free time. Every weekend, children, teens, and adults waste their time on technology and shopping sprees. To break that traditional habit, volunteering at special places such as the Mosque Foundation Food Pantry will change your routine. Volunteering will not only get you out of the house, but will bring you closer to other people and boost up your spirit.
During my younger years, I volunteered at the Oak Lawn Library. Shelving books, cleaning areas, and preparing a craft was a joy to me. I enjoyed my hours at the library because my jobs were easy to complete, and I felt proud of helping out. The library will be a neater and more organized place for children to foster their love of reading when more people volunteer.
One of the best ways to volunteer is visiting nursing homes. Sadly, not many elders get visits from family members or friends. Volunteering at a nursing home will put a smile on an elder’s face and remind them that they are never alone. Duah Abu-Baker, a junior at Aqsa School, visited a nursing home as a part of Community Service Day. Duah was thrilled by the happy faces she encountered. “The patients there loved having the Aqsa students sing for them. Some of them were so happy that they sang along with us as if they knew the song.” Duah understands the importance and benefits of volunteering. Every little deed you do for somebody makes a big difference in their lives. Duah wishes to continue volunteering at places like nursing homes, and help put a smile on someone’s face.
Jenan Abdelsalam, an Aqsa senior, volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House during Community Service Day. Jenan, along with her fellow seniors, prepared a delicious meal for the families of sick children. The families' bellies were filled with, not only great food, but also with happiness. They were grateful for the precious extra time they spent with their hospitalized child instead of laboring over a meal. Jenan commented, “Volunteering felt good to me, because my classmates and I worked together as a team, and we made others feel good while having an amazing time.” These suffering families will remember those Aqsa students and will never forget their kindness.
Commit yourself to the idea of volunteering. This Saturday, instead of sleeping for 12 hours straight, get up and go to your local nursing home or, better yet, sort some shoes for the victims of Haiti at Share your Soles in Alsip. Or if you want to do something simple, start cleaning up litter around your community. While volunteering, keep in mind: With every little deed, even a smile, is a charity.
Graphic Art by Rasha Jibrin Alrashadeh, A.A. Stagg High School
Attention middle & high school students! To submit your original islamically appropriate articles, poems, or art work for the Mosque Foundation Community Pulse Newsletter & website, email them to connie@mosquefoundation.org. Please include your name & school. All submissions will be considered according to Mosque Foundation guidelines.