My ride to the mission trip known as We Are Able was a steady one. Going off the grid was hard, but it helped to engage with the others on the trip. When I got out of the van, I noticed a brightly colored invitation in chalk welcoming us into Judson College. The first thing I did when I stepped into the foyer was explore my surroundings. I noticed a cafe and wondered if it would be open during my stay; I like a good cup of joe. It wasn't open, but I survived without it. Besides, we had our own stuff: boxes on the counter filled with food for four days.
Turns out there was a Mod Pizza close to the college. We got to make our own pizzas or salads for dinner that evening. A few choose salad over pizza; that's fair. Salad is probably lighter on the stomach. I couldn't finish my pizza, but it was so good. I was happy that this pizza place had a gluten-free crust. A veggie platter with veggie dip was also available in case someone didn't order salad. After dinner, we went out for ice cream. I got a Buster Bar after finding out online that they're gluten free.
One night down; three more to go. The next day, I found out that I tend to wake up earlier than the rest of the group. It was nice to have some peace and quiet in the mornings; just walking around all by my lonesome. After breakfast each day, we had worship time. Then we went to Feed My Starving Children.
Feed My Starving Children is a very deep and meaningful cause that I feel to my core. Our diverse group got the chance to participate in something bigger than ourselves. We packed 36 meal packets in every box for hungry children, and the boxes were piled high in a massive crate. It was a big project; we had to move quickly. Every time we filled a box, we yelled out, "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!" to let people know that the box was done.
We gave more than just our time at Feed my Starving Children by donating money to the cause. We could purchase containers of M&M's to fill with quarters to donate when we come back to help more hungry people around the world. I gave $5, so I brought six M&M's containers home with me.
After Feed my Starving Children, we volunteered at The Ranch of Hope Reins, a horse ranch, where we helped families and children coping from trauma. I'm glad that we got to help people.
There is something about helping others that just makes you feel good. It's a great thing to do, to give back to the community. I feel like it brings people together—it definitely did for us. We Are Able is a chance for people with intellectual disabilities to feel like we are all able to do something great. Everyone has that ability, regardless of other abilities.
Emily Krabill has a beautiful, complex, and powerful mind. She tends to hyper focus on what she is passionate about, whether it's pop culture, worrying about people in Hawaii or her friends and family. She lives with her dad and stepmom. She still misses her mom in Oregon and the siblings that have moved out of town. She has a job at Soapy Gnome, a local soap boutique that she loves. She is quite excited to see what her podcast, Expert Tips of Self Advocates, has in store for this year. When she is not working, she likes to work on her blog, act, sing and dance.
