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Servants in Faith and Tachnology

Albert Edward Wiggam once wrote, “to give of one’s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived—this is to have succeeded.” I had the privilege of experiencing this first hand during the summer of 2019 while interning at Servants in Faith and Technology (SIFAT) and can attest that to partake in these things is truly life changing. SIFAT works with developing communities around the world teaching them what plants to grow and eat in order to maintain a healthy diet and prevent illnesses caused by vitamin deficiencies and appropriate technology practices. Appropriate technology is described as using the resources one has to meet one's needs. Examples of this range from efficient stoves made of adobe to container gardens to using bottles filled with sand or trash as bricks to build a house. They also have a summer camp for middle and high school children at their in campus in Lineville, Alabama, which is what I helped with. During the week long camp sessions, the teenagers get to experience how people in developing countries live by participating in simulations and learning how they can make a difference by thinking globally and acting locally in their own communities. I was part of the flex staff and helped to conduct the simulations, maintain of the campus, and make sure the campers had everything they needed. It was very rewarding to see the children's perspectives change throughout the week. Experiencing their privacy, comfort, and material things being stripped away and being replaced with hunger, dirtiness, and unpredictability for a day help them to see the world through the eyes of their less fortunate brothers and sisters and to realize how truly blessed we are and that we need to work to help others achieve rights such as equality, a better standard of living, and access to quality food and care. It also changed my perspective and challenged me to contemplate how I can help to cause change and be a better steward of resources. My time at SIFAT was also the catalyst for my decision to pursue a master's degree in community development. 

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Campers Participating in the Slum Experience

The SIFAT Team

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Campers Working on the Appropriate Technology House

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The Front of the Appropriate Technology House

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