UUSC is excited to be partnering with the Unitarian Universalist Association on a joint volunteer trip to Haiti for youth and young adults, August 20–27. In the post below, participant Sydney Weddleton reflects on the power of common goals. Throughout my time thus far in Haiti, I've been struck by the extreme differences from back home. Everything from the landscape to the language to the living conditions I find myself comparing to what I see every day. When we traveled to our work site for the week — an eco-village being built for Haitian families — I continued to focus and process these differences. We went out and began an assembly line to move rocks around the house-to-be to build the foundation. As we worked, some of the children began to come near to where we were working and watched us. After an invitation from one of our translators, one little boy joined in the line next to me. As time went on, the little boy kept working. My mind began to think again of how different the motivation this young child had than what I usually see. I was pondering this as I realized what I was missing — the similarities of everything new I was seeing. Yes, there were many differences around me, but across all our divisions — age, race, country, language, history — we were in that moment simply human. Common goals and strength overcome any differences and divisions, and we are whole and one — together. View photos from the service trip!