Direct Service Research Paper

My grandfather has and always will be my role model. I treasure many memories of him and I devoting our time to serving of our community. He led a local food pantry that required him to continually shop for food, then deliver it to his food pantry. About five years ago, together we made numerous Thanksgiving baskets. On Thanksgiving morning, we rode in his filled up truck and delivered them to countless families who may have not been able to experience the typical holiday meal without some assistance.

Given this experience, and the several other times I have served with my grandfather, I agree that there are many distinct appropriate and beneficial roles of direct service, in addition to its limitations and challenges.

Servant leadership
was once described by Winston Churchill as he stated, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Therefore, direct service not only helps those who received the baskets I delivered, but helped me learn empathy with my community neighbors. Additionally, direct service fulfills the appropriate role of educating the less fortunate in society. By simply reaching out to them, talking about their circumstances, and providing a helping hand, service can lead them to live a more independent and prospers lifestyle they may have not deemed possible before. Most importantly, direct service is a key part of society that improves the quality of life for citizens facing hardship.

On the contrary, direct service has a few limitations and challenges within today’s society.
For example, many direct service outlets, like food pantries, find generational families that live in poverty solely relying on aid; this may be because it is their only known way to get food and clothing, since this is how they have grown up. Thus, to combat this limitation, it is essential that all direct service outlets prove them with an environment that educates them of possibilities to escape their circumstances.

Moreover, I believe that judgement within direct service is a key challenge that effects many lives. Some citizens may not reach out for assistance because they feel embarrassed to admit they’re struggling. Through my experiences, I also believe that we, as servants, sometimes fall victim to judging the less fortunate. Even though this challenge is prevalent, I believe it can be combated if we adapt Mother Teresa’s ideology that “if you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

Overall, direct service has impacted the lives of innumerable people throughout the world, including my own life. I will never forget my memories with my grandfather and hope to continue the legacy of service and giving I have been taught. One day, I hope we overcome the limitations of direct service, but also continue to provide for families that are in need of
assistance.