One of the first things we talked about in our car of five as we made our way to the job site was how different this part of Kentucky looked than what we had imagined. There were nice houses and lawns and nice cars parked in driveways. We were all commenting on how we were expecting much worse; the road was lined with homes that were comparable to that of the suburbs back in Philadelphia.
A few seconds later we realized we had all spoken too soon.
Our job site was in the middle of a trailer park, down a no-named street and on top of a steep hill. Lining the street were other trailers that looked abandoned (which we soon found out was not the case). The elderly man living in our assigned trailer had been climbing down a rotted, unstable stairway connected to a deck that wasn’t far from the same condition. He was in a wheelchair, connected to an oxygen tank, and although he had difficulty breathing he still managed to share his gratitude that we had come to help build him a new, safer route out of his home.
This picture alone stands out in my head as the most significant moment of our trip. It helped me realize that at first glance things can appear intact, but it’s when you “drive a little further” that you may find someone who could really use your help. The fact that we, as a firm, made this venture together reassured me that I am not only fortunate to be where I am in my life, but to also have a job where they want you to feel that way too.