Morningsiders Embark To Yangshuo, China for First Service Learning Trip Of The Summer

For the first of Morningside’s annual Service Learning trips, sixteen Morningsiders visited Yangshuo, China to assist local social organisation Loving Heart with their work. The Loving Heart Home helps disabled individuals lead more comfortable and fulfilling lives, through opportunities like employment in a local bakery greatly enjoyed by the community.

With the assistance of Dragonfly, a Hong Kong-based group that develops educational and outdoor programs for students, Morningsiders spent seven days helping Loving Heart’s founder Andrew Chung organise and construct a space that would later be used to teach carpentry skills and build furniture designed for those with disabilities. As Loving Heart does not accept direct monetary donations, students were active participants in their service learning, donating their time and energy while learning how to wield hammers and sort nails. They gained better perspective on what it means to be an able-bodied person and what service can look like on a microlevel.