My Story/college

My Story - Keni Zenner

Keni Zenner - Bus Core Leader
U of M - Morris

Our bus core told us to team up with one of the regular volunteers at the Benton, Arkansas Habitat for Humanity home. I was immediately drawn to an older man with a shy smile and a little black beret. He told me his name was Marvin. I asked him what I could do to help. 

Marvin smiled and said, “Well, I’m supervising. You can help me supervise.” 

It didn’t take long for me to realize that supervising meant Marvin telling me his life story. He told me about the mornings he would spend in the local diner, just so he could see a pretty blonde waitress who he would later call his wife. He told me how the area around Benton, Arkansas used to have segregated schools and public buildings. He even showed me the railroad which marked the line that the black residents dare not cross if they didn’t want to be harassed by the white residents.

Marvin took me on a tour of the Habitat for Humanity village – six square miles of Habitat for Humanity homes built entirely by volunteers, with the land donated by the mayor of Benton.  As Marvin and I walked across Hope Lane, I knew that our Pay It Forward tour was doing more than just developing leadership skills in a bunch of college students. We really were bringing hope to people across the nation. Marvin told me himself that its people like us who decide to do service during spring break instead of going to a beach who make him decide to go to the Habitat for Humanity site to “supervise” instead of sitting at home and watching TV.

The thing is, Marvin’s thoughts are reciprocal. I am committed to STLF because of my relationship with Marvin. I cannot let him down.

I will never forget my instant friendship with the man with the shy smile. Nor will I forget his stories and the hope that he gave me.

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