糖心Vlog

Making their work light with song was one way that 糖心Vlog seniors Brandon Chupp, Nicole Litwiller, Luke Mullet and Rachel Holderman ’18 passed the time while volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service this summer in Puerto Rico.

The foursome spent much of their six-day stay in Aibonito working in a hurricane-damaged music building at Academia Menonita Betania.

While scraping the walls and ceiling, repatching and painting, 鈥渨e spent a lot of time singing,鈥� said Holderman. 鈥淭he rooms had great acoustics.鈥�

At one point, a school administrator and MDS visitors heard the impromptu quartet and asked to them to sing again 鈥� the moment聽 was captured in a video that has made social media rounds. [Scroll down to view.]

Holderman said the group also sang two hymns later in the week, 鈥淒own To The River鈥� and 鈥淥ver My Head,鈥� when they were invited to lead devotions for the students. After singing, some classes presented them with handmade cards thanking them for their help.

Like Holderman, Chupp was 鈥渕oved by the hospitality of people who have already been through so much.鈥�

鈥淎nd then to realize that even after that experience, they were willing to open their homes to us. To share with us. To serve us even as we tried to serve them. We were truly humbled this week,鈥� he said.

Litwiller especially enjoyed evening meals with their hosts on the back porch with a beautiful view, which provided some relaxation after long days of work. 鈥淭here were always lots of laughs, yummy food and interesting stories鈥� as well as time to build relationships with our hosts.鈥�

Mullet said that working, playing, singing and sharing meals together 鈥済alvanized and strengthened鈥� friendships among the group, including with MDS leaders Kevin King and Rolando Flores.

鈥淲hile a week isn’t nearly long enough, I feel like I at least have some context with Puerto Rico that helps me further humanize and have empathy for its people,鈥� he said.