Dr King birthday was last week Monday, and I was involved in a volunteering experience at a middle school in Lafayette which is just a couple of miles away from Boulder.

While this was my first time volunteering in the USA, it was not my first volunteer experience as I have many of it back home.

Why did I even applied to volunteer for the event? I have no particular reason, but then, I think it will be an excellent way to start my 2018 by giving one of my most precious resources (time) to serve humanity.

I am not familiar with the story of Dr King, but many people said he was a great man and with all I have read and seen about him – most especially “I have a dream” I think he is a great man.

During my volunteering, I saw a quote which was attributed to him which was

Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exceptions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.

Wait, what did Dr King just said? The passionate concern of dedicated individual who despite struggles, sacrifice and suffering keep on moving is what human progress requires.

This statement speaks a lot to me, not just because I can relate with it better (as an international graduate student in the USA without scholarship) but because of the work we did at the middle school.

On Monday 15th which was Dr King’s day, it was snowing like the nose of a bear, I cannot imagine myself going out in such a day, but I already prepared my mind that I will be going for the volunteering event.

I called Sophia who is CU Boulder volunteer coordinator, and I went straight to the University to meet them (I rode my bike in the snow). It was such a dreadful ride, but I made it – like I always make it in the most challenging situations in my life.

Upon getting to the middle school, we are taught how to make a blanket, which was the first time making one, and we ended up making more than 20 blankets (not sure of the exact number).

But wait, why are we even making blankets? They said it would be given to homeless kids – though I never know this until when we are almost done making them.

I have never faced this much winter before in my life, and my friends told me we are just starting winter – meaning, I should be expecting some colder days.

Somehow, the feeling of riding inside the snow with the frostbites I felt sometimes doing this could not get off my head when I learnt what the blankets would be for.

Despite living in a house with many heaters, I still feel cold sometimes – not to imagine someone homeless in this winter.

Having done with my volunteering, I wish I can do more to help this people, and I am glad my little contribution will make someone warm in a part of this country I know nothing about.

While the good we do to this world may not impact someone we know, it takes some more consistency, actions and passions of dedicated humans to translate into the progress of humanity.

The food I eat, even when I don’t know who grow them – it keep me alive; why won’t I volunteer to make the life of someone else better, or do you think you have to know someone to make an impact on their lives?