Summary: Hoops For Haiti

During my high school years approximately around my sophomore/ junior year my basketball team including I myself attended the Hoops for Haiti fundraiser that Meredith Elementary school hosted. Hoops for Haiti helps aid the disaster relief fund that is held in Haiti. Hundreds of elementary school children paid $5 each for a chance to play with not only Neumann-Goretti’s women’s basketball team but also the men’s team too. All proceeds were meant to go directly to rebuild and fund schools in Haiti. I decided to talk about this specific service that I participated in because not only was it fun but I got to interact with kids younger than me and was able to put smiles on their faces, those who were there and hopefully those in Haiti knowing that they do have people who care and want to help them out in every way possible.
So, this semester, which happens to be my first college semester of having theology, we touched basis on many topics. The topic that had the most connection with my service in my opinion would have to be the catholic social teachings. To be more specific four out of the seven we’re closely related to how catholic social teachings are connected to the service activity I participated in. Those four catholic social teachings include Call to Family, Community, and Participation, Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, Solidarity, and of course Care for God’s Creation.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation is all about how we organize our society to affect human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community, while, pursuing the togetherness of the common good and well-being of all humanity, especially the poor and vulnerable that are in need. As mature young adults in high school my team and I came together as a family and participated with our community to achieve a goal that would benefit those in need that resided in Haiti so that they can have an opportunity to succeed and overcome tragedies that occurred.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable advises us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
This isn’t as hard as people may make it out to seem. Just simply taking a minute or two out of your day could help in tremendous ways. Going back to my service, as individuals, my team and I may have had plans to go out and have some fun with family and/or friends during the day we participated in the Hoops for Haiti fundraiser. Yet and still, we came together as a team in agreement to put our plans aside to participate knowing that it will be helpful to those that needed a helping hand.
Solidarity means that all people are part of one human family and because we are one, we are affected by the joy and suffering of all. “If one member of Christ’s body suffers, all suffer. If one member is honored, all rejoice.” (1 Corinthians 12:12–26). To live in solidarity means us as people have to step up and take charge to make sure that every member of our human family is living in conditions that honor our human dignity as one. So, by raising money for Haiti’s community as a family we can rejoice because we are rebuilding a better living condition for our family
in.
Care for God’s Creation is our calling to protect people and the planet. Although I may have not been physically in Haiti to protect those who were involved in such a tragedy I was there in spirit and by raising money it helps out with tools needed to replenish the environment. In my opinion if you feel as though there isn’t much for you to do just pray. Praying for others shows that you care and you want what’s best for the people around you.
Overall I learned that there is always a way to help out others in fun ways. If you have a talent no matter what it is try to put it to use and find new ways to help out. It could be as simple as getting old clothes and making them look brand new by using your creativity and shipping them out to those people who are unfortunate enough to get nice clothes or any clothes at all.