The spirit of service

Reflecting one’s eyes in those of the other, touching with hand people’s inner wounds, putting one’s time and energy at the service of others, without any obligation, seeking nothing in return — this is the spirit of volunteering.

Each day, thousands of people from different backgrounds and religions put themselves at the service of the most vulnerable in every corner of the world; individuals who work in hospitals, old people’s homes, migrant and refugee shelters, ambulances, sports centres, schools and emergency situations in war zones. Their “generosity and commitment offer hope to our entire society”, as Pope Francis said in his homily for the Jubilee of the World of Volunteering.

What drives people to join such initiatives? For some, volunteering is a way of life, while for others it is a vocation rooted in their religious belief. For others still it is a way to give to others. But the common denominator is what one receives in return. Travelling to a new country and engaging with different cultures can be a life-changing experience. It allows one to see things from a different perspective, to better understand other cultures and ways of life.

The commitment to be a volunteer means not only working for people, but with people. It means using one’s skills to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable, whoever they may be, and being aware that, however little what we do may seem to us, we are making a difference in their lives as in ours.

Volunteers often describe their experience as a journey that addresses different aspects, ranging from defending the planet to upholding human rights in order to spread principles and values and offer a learning pathway to form responsible citizens of today and tomorrow.

These, often challenging, experiences, redefine a new sense of purpose in life, and as Pope Francis affirmed on the Jubilee of the World of Volunteering, “all those small gestures are helping to make a new humanity blossom in the garden that is God’s dream”. (a.m.)

Editorial staff