By Benjamin Rosas
Not even a week in as the new Communications intern at Kidsave, I attended my first Weekend Miracles event. I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was that simply showing up is one of the most important things I could do. I believe that's true in the workplace and in life. After just five minutes of walking through the door, I knew I had made the right choice.
The event was held at Rockreation in Los Angeles, where our kids were free to rock climb to their heart's content. Upon entering the facility, I was immediately met with the sound of laughter and a sense of adventure. I was introduced to so many people, I could hardly keep up! Everyone was very open and incredibly kind. It was nice to put names to faces and to meet the kids in person rather than simply reading their bios. As I was being briefed on my duties for the day, the host families and their kids were enjoying lunch from California Chicken Cafe which was so good, some came back for seconds.
My role for the day was photography. I found it funny that I would be the one taking photos at the event, as my brother’s job is photographing events as well. It made me all the more excited to get started. After lunch, many were eager to get their rock climbing on. I was taught which types of photos to take and which ones to post, while the kids were taught the importance of safety and some tips and tricks for climbing. Once all was said and done, the kids were off to the harnesses faster than greased lightning, each one trying to be the first to reach the top.
I had trouble deciding which kids to photograph first – they were naturals! Some made it to the top before I even had a chance to get a shot. I’ve never been rock climbing myself but seeing how much fun the kids were having made me want to try it. I quickly remembered I had a job to do and got snapping. I took multiple photos of the kids’ ascents and descents. I even captured some videos where you can hear the kids yelling friendly banter and cheering each other on as they reached the top. The main thing I looked for in my photos was smiles and oh boy, did they give me plenty to work with.
After posting on the Kidsave Instagram stories, I found a chance to pause and take it all in. I thought about how these kids are currently looking for forever families, and how many of them may feel abandoned by society. I thought about the everyday struggles they might go through, and how they still hold on to hope that one day they’ll find a forever family. Then I realized, I was the only one in the room thinking these things. I looked around and saw these kids just being teenagers – laughing, playing, climbing. During these events, even if it’s brief, the kids can forget their worries and struggles. They allow themselves to open up and bring light into their world. Something as simple as a card game brought big smiles and laughter. These events allow these teens to be teens again, instead of victims of our society and that, to me, is beautiful.
Once all was said and done, we returned to the lunchroom. The mood in the room was bright. Everyone had a good time, but most importantly, the kids were smiling from ear to ear. I finally had a chance to eat now that my job was done. During lunch, I learned more about past events and how Kidsave has impacted my coworkers' lives. It was really nice to get to know more about them and the organization on a personal level.
This event was a fantastic introduction to why Kidsave matters and how noble it is to look out for those who are searching for a forever family. I was happy to help make someone else's day brighter.
Walking out of the event, I knew I had made the right choice with Kidsave.
