By Andrew Bergstrom, 28

I have to know: What are you doing with your “freedom”?

There are those who choose to help others, and there are those who choose to help themselves. The former are in rare supply; the latter are gaining in every way. “Look out for number one” seems to be the catchphrase, and the advertising industry and the media are just fueling that craze. But doing so only makes a person egocentric, as most of their waking moments are spent in varying degrees solely on that one thought: what’s in it for me?

I just came back from a trip to the provinces that were hit—no, devastated—by the recent tsunamis. Depending on the elevation and distance to the beach, everything was wiped out and washed away. I saw some cars that looked about the same as when a recycling machine gets ahold of a tin can. I saw people’s houses completely ruined, their livelihoods gone. Of course, seeing the carnage, it’s easy to experience feelings of hopelessness and despair; it’s only natural. But wait a minute, it doesn’t have to be that way.

I went down with a team of people and a lot of donated items to give to the unfortunate folks whose lives were touched by this tragedy. I know that the things I brought will never be enough to replace what was lost, but that was not the point. That was only a part of it. In a situation like that the people need to know that someone cares. What I brought to offer wasn’t much, at least not as much as I would have liked to give. But I found out first hand what is more important than things: hope.

We talked with a woman who was cleaning up the area outside of what was her house. She was fortunate that it was still standing (only missing one wall inside), but that was it. There was nothing left in there. Their car was scrap, and by that time it was towards the end of our trip and we had basically passed out everything we had come with except for a few boxes of toys, which we gave to her. I felt sorry that there wasn’t a whole lot we could do for her, but she made it clear that our talking with her had cheered her up and given her a boost of encouragement, and that that was what she really needed. That too was the highlight of my day—to know that I had been a help to another.

The reason I bring this up is because it starkly contrasts what those who are trying to stop our work are doing. My work, my religion, my beliefs, they’re my life. Get it? My life, not yours. You can do the same if you want to, but if you don’t, that does not give you the right of trying to stop me. I’m not trying to harm anyone—nor giving anyone else credence to do so.

What some people fail to realize is that by imposing on the rights of others they are setting themselves up for the same to happen to them.

As I am part of a volunteer organization, the very terminology should be self-explanatory.—I am here because I want to be here, no one is forcing me. I may not know what every twist and turn in the road may bring, but I have chosen to walk this path that I call my life. And that’s a decision that is mine to make, and no one else can or should try to make it for me.

Andrew Bergstrom is a second generation member of the Family International, currently a missionary in Thailand.