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Community Corner

John Jay Grad Out to Change the World

Sarah Esselborn heads off to Boston University this Fall with a dream shaped by her experiences volunteering worldwide with the Bedford Community Church.

John Jay High School recent grad Sarah Esselborn has received four scholarships totaling close to $5,000 towards her education at Boston University. This Fall, she will begin her studies in Biology with hopes of one day attending medical school and becoming a doctor.

This plan—and the scholarships that made it possible—were all results of Sarah's extensive volunteering worldwide with the Bedford Community Church.

"It's through these trips where I figured out what I'm supposed to do with my life," Sarah said. "When I was in Haiti, I really felt [God] was telling me: 'You're going to come back, and you're going to come back as a doctor."

Sarah has been on seven trips,  each lasting from a weekend to ten days,  from nearby Philadelphia  and Newark to exotic Peru and Haiti. She has plans for more trips in the future, ranging from Mt. Vernon, New York to Gabon, Africa.

Sarah and the rest of the volunteer group travel under the guidance of Bedford Community Church youth pastor Dan Haugh. They work with local churches and organization Adventures in Missions to bring much needed supplies, labor and support.

"We're not construction based. We are more about building relationships with people," she said.

Some of the projects Sarah has participated in include working at nature preserves to combat invasive species, handing out food and drink to those in need, refurbishing homes and churches in need of repair, and running Vacation Bible School.

"We do singing, and we play games with children, and we do a skit for them, and arts and crafts," she said. "We do this for all of our locations in one form or another." 

In Haiti, Bedford Community Church partners with Jesus in Haiti Ministries. It was Sarah's first trip there when she arrived home on January 11, 2010, the day before the earthquake hit.

"It's already the poorest country in the western hemisphere, going through all this damage" she said. "It's heartbreaking, but maybe Haiti is finally getting the attention it needs."

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Now being recognized for her service, Sarah is receiving aid of her own as she sets off to Boston University with a plan and the support of her church and community.

"I truly feel blessed to live here, and have the family that I do," she said. "I really feel like I was blessed and can share those blessings with others."

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