By Tuesday at 1:30, talk a little about the people who support service leaders? Who supports Farmer and how? How are their contributions important? How are they different from his? What about the people who support you in your life? What about those you support.
Nov 13
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Alexis Utanes
November 15, 2010 at 10:57 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Many times during the reading, Farmer used his network to support his Cause. Each of his colleagues and connections (who often work as a team) contributed greatly to the success of Farmer’s TB interventions—especially in gathering resources. First, when Farmer created Partners in Health, Jim Kim wanted to work with him and Father Jack in the town of Caraballyo. With Farmer’s approval, Jim answered phone, helped Paul obtain medicines and appliances for Zanmi Lasante, wrote grant proposals, and ensured Farmer got to his meetings on time. In return Farmer gave Jim advice and encouragement almost daily, often in phone calls between Lima and Cange. This enabled PIH to run smoothly, as the doctors treated MDR patients. In another example, Farmer went to Michael Iseman (from one of the best TB centers in Denver) for advice when he first came across a case of MDR. Iseman explained that they will need a more expensive, rare, unguaranteed and lengthy drug regime. Paul, Jim, and Ophelia discussed this issue over and over again until they reached a consensus to do a drug trial on a few patients first. Also, in 2002 Ophelia wrote to Paul and Jim in concern for their growing budget. Together Jim and Paul came up with “a disassembly strategy” (176) to pay for their struggling health system, they ultimately decided on asking for an enormous amount from generous donors. In each of these situations, teamwork allowed them to determine the solution most beneficial to the MDR treatment program, knowing how expensive and possibly ineffective it may be. Just as Kim quoted Margaret Mead, “Never underestimate the ability of a small group of committed individuals to change the world…Indeed, they are the only ones who ever have,” the efforts of Farmer, Kim, Ophelia, Father Jack, and all of Paul’s colleagues provide support to their mission of saving lives.
Patricia Chiu
November 16, 2010 at 12:16 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Though Farmer has many accomplishments and has helped so many people afflicted with various diseases in places like Haiti and Peru, he would not have been able help those people without the support of the many friends he made along the way. Father Jack Roussin allowed Farmer to stay in his rectory when he was in medical school. In addition, Roussin offered religious services to patients seeking care at the PIH clinic set up in Peru. Roussin’s contribution was different from Farmer’s contribution in that he was able to offer religious services rather than medical services; he gave Farmer’s patients a faith to believe in. Jim Kim served as Farmer’s second in command and as PIH’s bayakou, Creole for a person who picks up excrements. Kim remained loyal for eight years as he ran around running errands for PIH and Farmer. Kim’s contribution is different from Farmer’s contribution in that he did as he was told by Farmer. Thus, many tasks, often menial, were accomplished by Kim. Ophelia was Farmer’s ex-girlfriend who supported his dreams no matter how difficult it was to accept them. Rather than molding him into what she wanted out of a boyfriend, she gave him room to grow and helped him with whatever he needed help with. She knew how to make him laugh, just as his sisters only knew how to. Even after her rejection of his hand in marriage, she remained his confidante. Her contribution was different than his contribution in that often times she did everything with him in mind; on the other hand, it seemed that Farmer did everything with his patients, especially those in Haiti, in mind. Tom White, who owned a heavy-construction firm in Boston, provided the funds for Farmer’s projects. He made Farmer’s dream a reality. In addition, he created the public charity in Boston called Partners in Health (PIH), which accepted donations that were sent to Cange. His contributions differs from Farmer’s in that he possesses the means to make Farmer’s dreams a reality because he has the money to do so. Jaime Bayona, a Peruvian that served as project director of the Socio Sen Salud, a Spanish version of PIH, kept Farmer and Kim updated on medical records of Peruvians afflicted with TB. In addition, he acts as translator for Farmer. His contribution differs from that of Farmer’s in that he can speak Spanish and, therefore, assists with the communication between Farmer and his patients.
Just as there are people who help Farmer along the way, there are people who have helped me get to where I am. I would not be where I am if it were not for the love and support that I have received from my family. My mom is the sole person that has loved me unconditionally. My mom and I were always very close, so it was no surprise that I talked to her a lot when I was away at college. When I was very sick last year during fall quarter and the doctor that I was seeing suggested the option of flying down to take care of me, my mom booked a flight that same day and took a week off to take care of me.
I learned empathy and the act of caring for others from my mom. As a result, I support my siblings by keeping in contact with them and giving advice. My mom had warned us that now that we were all in college, it would be difficult to remain close. Therefore, she recommended that we call or text each other every so often. After every conversation I have with my siblings, I always remind them that I am there for them if ever they need anything.
Jessica Yen
November 16, 2010 at 12:47 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support service leaders are individuals who share the same beliefs and visions as the leader. They also share the same characteristics as the service leader, including helping the community through teamwork, solving problems through abstract knowledge and critical thinking, challenging conventional values, and the ability to withstand emotional consequences. The traits that may set supporters from the actual service leaders are that service leaders are not afraid of the public’s opinion, their ideas may be more radical, they may have more insight on the situation, and they may possess more leadership skills. In summary, supporters basically share the same virtues and ideas as the leaders, yet they may not have the same professional background as the leader so they may be limited in their ability to be a service leader. Moreover, there are others who are just as competent, but choose to support service leaders because they agree whole heartedly with their mission.
There are several individuals who support Farmer in the novel. Tracy Kidder, the author of Mountains beyond Mountains, is an integral part of the story because he documents all the experiences he has with Paul Farmer and illuminates all of Farmer’s great contributions to Haiti. Although Tracy has moments with Farmer where he is in great disagreement with the doctor’s ideas, readers are able to see Tracy’s admiration for Farmer through his awe of Farmer’s dedication to his patients and loyalty to Farmer. Another key supporter of Farmer is Jim Yong Kim, a Korean-American doctor who is entranced by the work Farmer does. Kim supports Farmer by working alongside of him for several years in the Partners in Health, a clinic designated to fighting TB in Peru, also with Father Jack Roussin, one of the board advisers. Together, the members of Partners in Health try to control TB in Peru by medically treating the poor and struggle to find resources to meet the needs of the people. Kim and Roussin differ from Farmer because they remain in Peru to fight TB whereas Farmer travels around the world to many poverty stricken areas to help solve world poverty. Also, each men plays a unique role in Farmer’s life. For instance, Roussin, a pastor, offers moral and religious support to Farmer while Kim offers technical support and comes second in chief to Farmer. In other words, while Kim and Roussin medically treat the poor, Farmer attempts to salvage world poverty, economic inequality and the medical aspect. Farmer takes on the role of a politician, humanitarian, and doctor all before the age of forty.
The people who support me in life are my family and close friends. Although they differ vastly from me in what they studied in college, goals in life, and occupations, they take the time to understand my viewpoints and life goals. Each individual offers me a unique type of support. My greatest supporters tend to stand by me through my mistakes and stubbornness, and are even willing to give me advice and pinpoint me in which direction to go. Since my family and friends care genuinely about me, they do not want to see me fail in whatever I do and try their best to identify with my ambitions.
Stephen Mendez
November 16, 2010 at 12:52 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
The people who help service leaders are a myriad of people. There are people who help who are committed to a cause and whom devote their entire time and resources to their particular cause. They have an intense passion for their causes because they hold a personal stake in the outcome of whether the issue is resolved or not. These personal motivations could range from family oriented, religious obligations, moral obligations, or monetary outcomes. Factors like these motivate people to take up a cause passionately and become enthralled in it to their fullest potential. At the same time there are many people who help service leaders who are regular everyday people. People like me who don’t have the courage to take a year off of college and travel to an impoverished country and make a difference. People like me who try to make a difference in little ways by donating what we can to any cause we see. These are some of the people who support Farmers cause. It takes a variety of people helping your cause to make a difference. These people obviously take some coaxing but that is the the price that has to be payed when soliciting help from generous contributors.
Stephen Mendez
November 16, 2010 at 12:59 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support me are my friends whom I see as people who take a leap of faith on a person they see as worthy of their time. These are the type of people who see a passion and take a dive and invest their time and energy into a cause that isn’t certain to reap any benefits but they invest their time nonetheless because they have a certain gut instinct that tells them to. These are brave individuals who take a chance based on distinct motivations. My family is a large support base who does all they can to ensure that they help me. They try to help me in any little way they can because they do not have much to contribute. I support my friends, they are people whom I see as being worth fighting for because I see something in them that no one else does, that they are honest, respectable individuals with a good heart and good intentions. I support my family also because they have always been there for me through the best of times and the worst of times. I support my girlfriend also because I want to see her succeed as much as me and have us both make a difference.
Omeid Heidari
November 16, 2010 at 3:27 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
It is interesting to look at the relationship between Father Jack, Jim and Farmer. When Father Jack left to a new parish in Peru, Jim quickly followed to establish a new clinic for the extremely poor area. It’s interesting to see how the different service styles and personalities blend to put together a common goal of serving the poor. Even at times when the personalities disagreed, Farmer had the foresight to know which leadership styles were the most valuable for that time in the project. Father Jack had the support of excellent outreach. His big heart allowed him to reach out to everyone and anyone. He is the type that did not loose hope in any and saw potential in everyone. Jim was a more level headed calming factor, but still had a vast amount of enthusiasm in him. He was the first to volunteer to begin community health work in Carabayllo with Father Jack and quickly began realizing the vast amount of responsibility he had taken on. Before that, he was Farmer’s second hand man, a protege if you will, but now he was the head on this project and turned to Farmer for guidance. Both these men were the support group to Farmer’s vision. Them, along with Ophelia, believed in bridging the gap of health discrepancies between low and high SES communities. All their contributions complemented each other, and all played a critical role in their common goal of helping the poor. The best quote came from Paul when he said, “It’s called eating shit for the poor.” It showed the selflessness of all their character that united them in this common goal without ever a true complaint.
The people who support me in my life, like those in Farmers, are those who complement my weaknesses. I tend to take on heavy, stressful workloads and have a habit of being my worst enemy during the highest times of stress. It is my personal support group that keep me in check, reminds me of my worth, and encourages me to ask for help when I need it. Reflecting on Farmer, his distinction in the epidemiology depending on the SES level is something that is experienced around the world. Even in the United States, there is a clear distinction between low and high SES across all levels. It is the job then, of public health, government, communities, to protect these people and help them. Not many people are out there like the members of Farmer’s ‘Public Health Team.’ However, a little bit of effort from everyone will go a long way when we all use our strengths to help everyone else in the community out.
Jennifer-Christine Madamba
November 16, 2010 at 8:10 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I definitely agree with you, Omeid. The people who can best support me are the people who complement my weaknesses. Because sometimes, for me, I get so caught up in my work that I need my family, my friends, and those who have strengths in my weaknesses to keep me sane and to help with situations that I find difficult or need help with.
Jennifer-Christine Madamba
November 16, 2010 at 8:04 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support service leaders are usually those people of high authority such as the government, religious leaders, educators, and the elite. The government, the United Nations, the WHO, Father Jack, his fellow colleagues, and students from different universities support Farmer. They support him materially, by helping him with the hospital in a different country. Although the medical students aren’t licensed, they help Farmer and his colleagues and gain experience from helping those in an impoverished area. Their contributions are important because they help Farmer who is helping others. Farmer can’t do everything by himself. Farmer is the leader of this group. He is the basically the mastermind of this whole project. The ones who support Farmer are like his volunteers. They help him make his project a reality. With their help, Farmer is able to help those who are suffering from TB in high poverty areas.
The people who support me in my life are my family members and my friends. At my church, I’m the president of a young adult organization. As the president, my officers support me all the time by helping me plan activities and helping me take care of the organization. As for myself, I support those who support me. I support those who are in need through community service. I support those who try to make a difference. I support those who I agree with and who I have the same morals as. I support them with the help that they need.
Natalie Chau
November 16, 2010 at 8:24 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
The people who support service leaders are those that have similar visions/mission as the service leader. They support what the service leader does and they believe that the service leader’s visions for the world are something to look up to. People who support service leaders may want to be like them but not be able to due to certain circumstances, therefore the best they can do is support the service leaders’ views and goals. They can also contribute in other ways that are a further help to the service leaders.
There are many people who support Paul Farmer, such as Father Jack Roussin, Jim Kim, Jaime Bayona, and his ex-girlfriend, Ophelia. Father Jack supported Paul Farmer and allowed him to stay in his parish while Farmer was in medical school. Father Jack played an important role in Farmer’s mission because Jack offered religious services to the people while Paul offered the medical services. Jack also opened up a clinic for the poor people where Farmer would help out at, offering his medical expertise. Farmer really beat himself up when Jack Roussin died from tuberculosis. Paul kept going over Jack’s file over and over again and he kept thinking of different ways and treatments that could have saved him. When he realized that Jack had died because of a resistant strain of tuberculosis, Paul Farmer started up another mission to save the poor people of Peru because they were probably resistant to tuberculosis drugs as well. This is one reason why there are many people who look up to Farmer because he makes a small scale thing huge. Farmer always wants to try to save as many people as he can and he does everything he can in order to do so. Even though Jim Kim worked under Paul Farmer doing chores and other small tasks, he really looked up to Farmer’s visions. Jim Kim eventually became Paul’s second-hand man and followed him everywhere to help Farmer with anything he needed help in. Although Jim Kim just did the small things, he became a big help with Farmer’s new mission to help the poor people of Peru and cure them of tuberculosis. Ophelia is an important person in Paul Farmer’s missions and goals because she supports him in every way that she can. Even if sometimes she thinks that his vision is too difficult and impossible to achieve, she still supports Farmer in the end. Ophelia had thought that Farmer’s tuberculosis mission was becoming too huge of an issue to handle, yet she still ended up helping him because she believed in his visions. Jaime Bayona was also a big help to Farmer and his team because he was part of the Socio, which is like Partners in Health. He helped translate and served as a translator between Farmer and the Peruvian patients. There were many people that helped Farmer along the way of achieving his mission and it would have been impossible to achieve by himself if he didn’t have the support and help of his team.
The people who support me are my parents, my siblings (especially my older brother), and my friends. My parents have been supporting me my whole life and they always want what’s best for me. They support me on my goals in life and they do not care what I plan to do as a career as long as I like what I am doing. I know that my parents will always be with me along the way and that I can always lean on them for support. My brothers and I always support each other. We would always tell each other what to do and what not to do and give each other advice or help on homework. My friends support me a lot because they help me through the day and we always help each other on homework. My friends support me along the ways of my ups and downs.
Alejandro Barraza
November 16, 2010 at 8:36 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
The individuals who support Farmer can be divided into four types of people. The first type of people is a group that consists of two individuals that symbolize hope and determination, which helps motivate Farmer to succeed and accomplish his goals. The first individual is Father Jack, a male pastor that left Boston to work in a church in the city of Carabayllo. Carabayllo is an impoverished city that is stricken with deadly type of Tubercolosis referred to as MDR. When Father Jack died of tuberculosis because his body’s resistance to all four first line drugs, Farmer became motivated to find out why he was resistant to all four first line drugs and to determine a successful treatment to treat this type of MDR. The other individual is Farmer’s father, the Warden, a tough father that never displayed direct compassion toward Farmer but his love for his family and Farmer was undeniable. The Warden impact on Farmer’s life was that he taught Farmer the importance of helping and nurtured Farmer’s drive to succeed. Farmer never received direct praise for his accomplishments from the Warden, but his need to make his father proud motivated him to become the best in his field. These two individuals impact on Farmer’s life is demonstrated in Farmer’s actions. If it were not for Father Jack, Farmer would not have been as motivated to find out the reason of why so many people in Carabayllo had MDR. And if it were not for the Warden, Farmer would not have become the man that travels from Cange, to the United States, to Carabayllo, and then back to Cange.
The second type of people consists of Tom White, the individual that is providing Farmer money to accomplish his goals. Tom White is different from Farmer’s other supporters. White is simply trying to make a difference in the world and the key that allows him to achieve this goal is Farmer. White is a wealthy man, but he does not have the knowledge or know how to help people the way Farmer does. To this end, White decides to give millions of dollars to Farmer’s projects and to Farmer if he needs any money. White gives Farmer the ability to accomplish his goal: cure as many impoverished people as possible for free.
The third type of people consists of Jim Kim, a male associate and Farmer’s second in command in his projects. Jim Kim supports Farmer by giving Farmer a jolt of aspiration and determination. For instance, Jim Kim told Farmer about his plan to start a green light district and other programs to help their cause, Farmer would have considered this plan impossible but Kim’s aspiration helped change Farmer’s mind. Kim contribution to Farmer’s life is that he brings a young and vibrant passion to it.
The fourth type of people is a group that consists of two individuals that provide Farmer with moral and emotional support. The first individual is Ophelia, besides taking care of the financial issues with Farmer’s projects she is always supporting Farmer during tough and good times. When Father Jack died, Ophelia consoled Farmer, and when Farmer got married to Didi Bertrand, Ophelia immediately sent Farmer a letter of congratulations. The second individual is Didi Bertrand, who is Farmer’s wife. Bertrand supports Farmer by loving, caring, and basically being his wife. Although, not much is said about Bertrand there is no denying a wife’s importance to her husband.
It is extremely hard for me to define those who support me because it can range from my parents allowing to live rent free to the great teachers at UC Irvine that give me various opportunities to get help if I don’t understand a topic. I will focus on my most important support system, which are my parents. My parents support me because they truly believe in me. At times, I believe they think to highly of me but I find their belief and need for me to succeed satisfying. To my parents, being in school is a great accomplishment so anything else I do is just extraordinary. Personally, this might seem like an enormous amount of pressure, but I have dealt with it ever since I was a child. I feel lucky to have this kind of impact on their lives, and that is why I try so hard in school.
Jennifer Lazaro
November 16, 2010 at 8:48 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Individuals that support service leaders tend to be people that love to give back to the community, but also people that share the same views as the leader. As we have learned in class, not everyone is meant to be a service learner; it takes a certain individual to give back to the community. From one of my psychology classes, we talked about why is it that students like to give back to the community, and my professor made a valid point that I can see myself included: An individual that gives back, through service learning, volunteering, going back and teaching at their own schools, do this because they were given a hand, they witnessed or where part of the group that received service learners or volunteers. Because of this, they accredit their success to the help that they received and believe that they should go back and help out and hopefully make a difference in an individual.
Of course this does not really pertain to Farmer because he’s not from Haiti, but he did learn about Haiti and the help that they were receiving at a young age. While in Haiti, Farmer encounters many individuals that share the same views as his. The biggest supporter that Farmer had was Father Jack Roussin. Both Father Jack and Farmer traveled to Peru to help out with the TB epidemic that they were having, there they meet Kim. All three doctors share the same views of helping people in poverty. While Roussin gave them spiritual and religious healing, Farmer and Kim worked together to help out medically those in need. During their stay in Peru, Farmer received much support from these individuals. When he left Peru, Farmer was never alone, he always manages to find other individuals that shared his views and goals and thus worked with them to better support each other.
Although Farmer, Father Jack and Kim were in Peru for the same overall task: to help the poor, there were many differences between them. Father Jack’s contribution was more faithful than Farmer’s and therefore the contribution that Father Jack was able to give was not as benefiting as what Farmer was able to accomplish with medicine. Similar, Kim was not practicing medicine; he was more like an errand and tech boy that was there to help run the PIH. Kim and Father Jack shared the same dedication to Peru that is why they did not leave. On the other hand Farmer left Peru to continue his mission of helping the poor in other places of the world. Overall, they all contributed to helping people in Peru, every help that Peru got was welcomed and had the same value; therefore Farmer, Father Jack and Kim were able to contribute and support one another.
People that support me are my family, friends and boyfriend. They know what is important to me and what my priorities are. By allowing me to continue my studies they are showing their support. Likewise I support/ help my sisters by offering guidance, I help out my parents when we are running low in cash, I am there as moral support for all my friends. I also support and contribute to organizations that I am passionate about.
Anthony La
November 16, 2010 at 9:40 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
It sounds like i’m beating a dead horse here but service leaders are supported by people who are trustworthy and share their own beliefs in the importance of the community. This support system consists of people who can be relied on for one thing or another. In Farmer’s case, whether it be for moral support, monetary funds or simple someone to help ease your burden there was always someone there. Whether it was Ophelia who was there for him to believe in him and guide his dreams or White to give him the financial means, every source of support in Farmer’s quest had a purpose. These support systems are common in that they all help Farmer in some shape way or form, but their key difference lies in the fact that they provide unique aid that the other doesn’t. These support systems are important because they bestow things that the leader lacks or needs.
The other week i had a sort of mini epiphany. I realized that even though I may know many people very few of them were true friends that I can count on. A lot of the people i know are mere acquaintances that you say hi to once in a while when you see them on campus. I had maybe barely a handful who I know I can count on. Of course family is always there regardless. But all my close friends have their unique purposes: One can be the gym buddy, another a study buddy or just someone to have lunch with. Just like with Farmer, each link of the group serves their unique purpose and in the whole serve as my support system.
David Moghissi
November 16, 2010 at 12:44 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Very good point, Anthony. It’s definitely true that few people are consistently dependable and trustworthy in life. Still, though, it is possible to get help from people who may qualify as acquaintances. Think back to your work at the LASOC. I imagine that many people who were acquaintances helped you and I bet that you helped others that you barely knew.
George Goodman
November 16, 2010 at 9:51 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support service leaders believe in the cause of the leader, and are willing to sacrifice for the passion and vision of that leader. Dr. Kim supports Farmer by being his go to guy. When Paul had a meeting in Boston, he would take over duties like getting medicines and appliances. Father Jack supported Farmer by adding to the inspiration behind the acts of kindness, Farmer would always go listen to Father speak and would be impressed by his willingness to strike for workers on his free time. When Father Jack dies, Dr. Kim fills a bigger role of being an inspiration and visionary by making speeches. But, Dr. Kim’s philosophy becomes very similar to Farmer’s as time goes on, which isn’t bad but Paul Farmer also needed the friend who was going to challenge him with different views. He gets that contribution from Alex Goldfarb when he travels to Russia.
I am very thankful for the people who support me in life; I wouldn’t have been able to be the person I am without them. This is because they provide a support system when I need advice before a decision and complete me as a person. Interactions with friends expose my weaknesses, so then I can work on them. That is why I have found it is good to diversify your support network because it is always good to have people around you that challenge your way of thinking so you can always look to improve yourself.
Justyne Catacutan
November 16, 2010 at 9:58 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support service leaders are people who have interest in the field that the service leader is in. It could be for their own personal gain or community gain. People can be supporting the service leader because they have the same inspiration that the service leader has. Or they could be supporting the service leader to show the community that they are involved and well rounded. An example is when a company provides money for the the service inorder to have their name at a good standing with the rest of the world. People who support Farmer and his TB plan range from the kind of people who support his service learning for both personal and communal interest. There were people that were inspired by him to open new organizations. While there people who supported money to him so he can continue his progress. There are also people that willingly helped him both in a motivational and helpful manner, whether that was just supporting his goal or working in his team. They do support in different ways. But in general everyone was able to help Farmer promote.
People who support me in different ways rather if it is family, friends, or fellow workers or colleagues. Family is always there for me at an emotional and influential balance. I can depend on them to be my support for anything. Friends understand who I am and what I am going through. Having support influences you to do better. Specific in service learning or volunteering, I can say that everyone has supported me. My family influenced me to start volunteering at a young age due to our faith and beliefs. My friends also volunteer and do service learning. Also, the organizations I am interested in always appreciate the work and support any person can provide,
Dillon Gamboa
November 16, 2010 at 10:09 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
The types of people that support service leaders are people like us. The people that have the compassion to make change or have the will power to make a difference in someone else’s life. These are the types of people who support leaders. Some contribute through their volunteer work, networking and referring other people, or even through a monetary contribution. Having people that support you in all of these ways allows a service leader to continue to do all the programs that he/she supports, without the support of others with the same mindset service leaders would not be able to exist the way they do now.
Farmer is supported by a variety of people, his network has grown because of his service leadership. However, there are a few people that really stick around to help him out through his service that he carries out. The main supporter that I think is very important to Farmer is his wife, Didi. I think without her willingness to allow Farmer to do what he does, he wouldn’t be able to do all his philanthropic causes. She has been there with him every step of the way even when she knows some of his paycheck is going towards his causes. Her loving and emotional support is something that Farmer needs. Like I said earlier monetary contributions are essential to keep any service moving forward, and Tom White makes that possible for Farmer. He is the main contributor to all of Farmers programs and has continued to contribute large sums of money to him in order to see Farmer succeed in his endeavors.
My main supporters in my life would have to be my family, they are always with me every step of the way even if they don’t agree with what I am doing. When I took a big role on in a Community Service Club they saw me putting too much time into it and wanted me to stop, but they knew how much I loved the club to let me keep going no matter what. They eventually embraced it and decided to learn more about it. That type of support makes me know that I will always have their support no matter what the situation is. Friends are also and important supporter in my life because they know me the best. They are there for the emotional support whenever I need to vent about things going wrong. I think friends are the most essential supporters to anyone because you know they will support you emotionally whenever things go wrong.
Nicole Fulbright
November 16, 2010 at 10:22 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
As we read in Part Three, Medicos Aventureros, Farmer has a tight knit group of people who support him: Jim, Ophelia, Jack. But early on in PIH’s site in Lima, they had no support of the medical world. Everyone thought that he was wasting his time by trying to treat the MDR patients. In the point of view of clinicians, Farmer and his associates were too emotional and because of that they were seeing the patient in front of them and not the greater picture. What this meant for Farmer, was that he had no stable inflow of funding, which meant that he and Jim had to “borrow” all their second line drugs. This was certainly not ideal from Farmer and Kim, but they made due without the support of the scientific community. Rather, they had the support of Tom White, who provided them with as much money as they needed along the way. As their site in Lima began to gain more credibility, then thats where the financial and political support came. But what is truly amazing, is that Farmer and his group of doctors relied solely on one another and the resources they had, despite distance, political strife, and great sickness.
I have found that the same can be said for me. I rely on the support of a tight knit group of people that include my friends and family. I would much rather have these group of a few people that I can completely rely on, than have many friends who will disappoint me in the end. My parents have been by far the biggest support system, financially, emotionally and unconditionally. I also have people who I would consider my Jim. My roommates have been my best friends since I was about 5 years old and they are a huge part of my past and I who I have become now. For this I am entirely grateful and feel very blessed. I hope to one day be able to give back everything that I have gotten because having the support of others, if only one person, leads to great things.
Kevin J. Son
November 16, 2010 at 11:08 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
The people who support service leaders are the groups and individuals that have the same passion, beliefs, and the drive to provide their service to help others. Service leader supporters also engage themselves in situations where they can lend a helping hand so they receive something in return that no one else can give them. These supporters share the same interest as the service leader, wanting to help others, using natural resources to find a solution to a problem, and getting through hardship together with others. People who support service leaders can be anyone and these people have built a passion within them to strive to the fullest and help when they can, even if it’s a small contribution. Usually the small contribution leads to bigger and better things for the future. Supporters of service leaders usually have the same interest as the service leader and knowledge about what environment they are situated in so they can bring the best outcome.
In the novel Farmer is surrounded by few supporters. A supporter of Farmer in the novel is Jim Yong Kim. Jim Yong Kim is a Korean-American doctor who supports Farmer by working alongside with him in the Partners in Health clinic. Also, Father Jack contributes towards Farmer’s work in the Partners in Health. Within this group of supporters and a service leader they try to control TB in Peru by treating the poor. Farmer sets off to many places around the world to help find solutions in areas where poverty is high, while Jim and Jack stay in Peru to find treatments to fight-off TB. Jim and Jack are great supporters of Farmer because they contribute different elements that help Farmer strive to do better in his journey.
In my life I have many supporters that I am grateful for. My family is my number one supporter in my life. My family is always there for me during the bad and good times in my life. They provide me with the energy and power to always TRY my best at whatever I am doing. Another very important supporter in my life is my friends. My friends are always there when I need someone to talk to about the troubles I’m going through or if I just need someone to talk to about life. My friends understand and relate to me, so it makes it easier for me to communicate with my friends. Lastly, another supporter in my life is myself because I try to honestly support myself through most of the things I go through. When I feel all hope is lost I tell myself that, “I can do it” and that hard work will get you to the place you want to be at. I remind myself to always try my best for my family, so I can get a good paying job and have my parents retire and relax. That is my number one goal in life to become successful and give my parents the relaxing life they deserve for all the hard work they went through for me.
Amy Sage
November 16, 2010 at 11:32 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
There are many people who support service leaders in several ways. For instance, Paul Farmer has support from many people like Jim Kim. Jim is pretty much #2 in charge, but runs a majority of the administrative stuff as well as helping to obtain some medications for patients. The administrative duties Jim takes on helps Farmer immensely. Farmer is already very busy, and I’m sure the reduction of office duties performed by Jim helps clear Farmer’s schedule for more appointments. Father Jack is a spiritual leader for some, and is very generous. Ophelia seems to help with the PIH organization, but for Farmer I think she really serves as a source of emotional support. She’s always there for him, until the split of course. Tom White is a major financial contributor who I think may have actually started an organization in Boston to aid with incoming donations to the plight in Haiti. Physicians in different countries, like Cuba, invite Farmer to speak at conferences and this helps in exposing the problems, and soliciting help. When Farmer was in Cuba he spoke at a Conference and met the head of UN AIDS, which was able to help fund medications for some aids victims in Haiti. Also, Farmer was helped by a medical school in Cuba that was eventually going to take on some Haitian students, so they would be more likely to stay and work in Haiti as medical physicians.
All of these individuals have differing roles in Farmers plight, but they all share the same goal as Farmer. All of their contributions aid in a common goal, while Farmer is kind of the man at the forefront of it all. He is very lucky to have an immense support system.
Farmer’s contributions seem to mainly address the needs of Haiti. He is an advocate for the people and their health. He is really the heart of the operation. He offers quality care to his patients, mentorship to some (like Jim), and he puts a face on poverty and it’s relation to health.
My family, Native community, and friends all aid in my support. My family has always been there to help me through rough times, usually by offering support and listening to my troubles. They often renew my optimism and drive for a better future for all individuals. My Native community has made me a genuine individual who realizes the importance of key issues in life. I was raised by my family and my community. My friends are a release valve for the build up of stress, so I’m thankful to have them. I think I’m pursuing my own path, but several individuals are by my side to make sure I stay on that path, and when times get hard they are there to make sure that the pace is kept.
Karina Venegas
November 16, 2010 at 11:33 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support service leaders are usually people that believe in the same cause and are actually willing to donate some of their time, experience, money, or simply advice. Farmer was able to get support from different types of people due to all the connections he made every where he traveled. Tracy Kidder described Farmer as the type of person who doesn’t just make acquaintances but those acquaintances usually become friends of Farmer. It is because of his ability to be friends with people, even those that may have different opinions or ideas, that allows Farmer to have many supporters. Their contributions are important because they allow Farmer to continue helping people whether it is in Haiti, Peru, or Russia. Farmer is actually helping the poor by trying to eradicate TB from prisons for example; however with out the economic help provided Famers wouldn’t be able to do much.
People that support me are my family, my boyfriend, and my friends. They all support me when it comes to my education and help me when I am too stressed or tired. Anything I needed I’m sure they would help me with if they could and if they couldn’t I’m sure they would find a way. Just like they support me I try to support all these very important people in my life, whether it is with their own school issues, advice, or simply just to make them smile. I would to anything for them just like they would for me.
Nirav Bhardwaj
November 16, 2010 at 11:39 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
There is no doubt that Farmer would not be where he is right now with all his accomplishments if he did not have the support of many people he came across in his life. One of the most important individuals who helped him is Dr. Kim who is essentially the main helper of Farmer when it comes to just about everything. Along with Dr. Kim, Father Jack plays an important role in helping out Farmer with the Partners in Health Clinic which also proves to be greatly beneficial.
In a more general sense, I believe there are a lot of individuals who help out serve leaders. Big businesses, politicians, health organization leaders, and close friends and family are some of the main ones that come to my mind. First and foremost I believe it is the connections that service leaders make with the people the get involved with that goes a long way. It is constant networking, and most people will tend to go the extra mile to help you out because they believe in your cause and they know that you are doing a great thing for all people in society.
For me personally I really appreciate everyone who supports me with what I do in my life. It all starts from the family and loved ones who are always there for me no matter what. They are the people who will always tell you that you can do it no matter what as long as you put your full heart and effort into it. Also, educational instructors and TAs play a large role in supporting me. Whenever I need something or want to learn more about a specific topic, I know that the professors which I have built relationships with will be there to help me out. And finally, I personally support anyone who has a passion, who has good intentions, and is looking to get a helping hand.
Brenda Ramirez
November 16, 2010 at 11:43 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
After reading a couple of other posts, some people argue that people who support service leaders are those individuals who are like-minded and have similar goals. I would disagree. Yes, there are many like-minded people who support service leaders. However, one does not have to be in a similar mind set to support service leaders. One can learn about a service leader and choose to support him directly or indirectly. Indirect means of support would be voting for measures that would support service leaders, donating funds, telling friends about service leaders and their organizations, writing letters to the government on behalf of service organizations and their members. I believe the people who support service leaders can not be classified by the way they think, they can, however, be classified as compassionate, informed, or concerned citizens.
There are many people who support Farmer, the Haitian community, Peruvian community, Kim, Roussin, and Jaime: each support Farmer in different ways. The Haitian and Peruvian communities give Farmer support and drive his motivation to continue his medical support in these areas. Roussin helps Farmer by providing religious support, Jaime helps translate and offers other assistance, Kim gives much technical aide. I believe that Roussin, Kim, and Jaime all want to work towards the same goal and that is why they help Farmer, for this reason, their contributions greatly help one another to meet the final goal of helping people.
The people that support me in my life are my family and those that care for me. There are also people that work towards my same goals that I bump into or that I read about and through our own individual actions, we help one another and create a network of support.
Diana Garcia
November 16, 2010 at 11:56 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Individuals who support service leaders such as Farmer are people who feel strongly about an issue and want to be part of the solution. Being part of change means more than taking out your checkbook and writing a check, people who support Farmer understand this as they dedicate their lives to helping him. For the most part Farmer’s colleagues and people from his network are the ones who support him. Their career professions range, which is important because they all contribute something different but essential to Farmer’s work. Roussin offered religious services, which is something Farmer could not provide to his patients at the Partners in Health (PIH) clinic in Peru. Kim stood besides Farmer for eight years as his right hand man, he was in charge of running errands for PIH. Ophelia provided moral support for Farmer, which is very important because it help him keep grounded in the midst of it all especially when Father Jack passed away. Lastly, there is Tom White whose support is different from everyone above because he provided Farmer with the funds that made it possible for Farmer to accomplish his goal of curing impoverished people free of charge. He believed in Farmer’s vision and made it come to life by funding it.
Unlike Farmer, I have not had a team of supporters because I have not done anything that would measure up to what he has done, but I hope to get there one day. My service supports students who are in high poverty schools and provides them with the skills and motivation needed to be successful in school. As of now, I have my parents who support me and encourage me to do what I feel is right and they stand by be as I try to figure it out. I also have my academic counselor here at UC Irvine whom I visit quite often to make sure I am on track and talk about any upcoming opportunities I should take advantage of. Furthermore, I keep in contact with my high school teacher and college counselor because they played a big role in my development as a person and I know they are happy to help me with whatever they can.
Krystin Uyema
November 16, 2010 at 12:01 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
The qualities of people who support service leaders are very aware of issues around them, have empathy towards others, want to build a better community, and are selfless. These qualities tend to give a person authority and become inspired and dedicated to make a difference. For example, Jim Kim helped Paul for years with PIH, making sure he was on time to places and serving as a personal secretary. That inspired him to want create a project of his own similar to PIH. Their contributions are important because it shows they support one another even if people do not agree with their actions. When the guerrillas blew up the pharmacy Jim felt insulted, but Paul reassured him saying serving the poor is more important that soothing ones ego. This piece of advice kept Jim going strong with his project. Also, when Farmer was trying to figure out why the ten patients who used DOTS did not get cured of TB, Jaime, the project director of Socios en Salud helped him figure out the cause by being a translator. Jaime’s contribution led Farmer to come to the conclusion that repeated treatment for TB made the patients resistant to four and five drugs. After that conclusion was made, Farmer, Jim, and Jaime became immediately involved with the TB epidemic laced with MDR that was spreading in NYC.
Throughout my life there have been numerous people who have supported me and made me the person I am today. Not only have family and friends supported me, but coaches, Girl Scout leaders, and teachers as well. Their support has made me strive for goals and never give up. Their support and contribution in my life has shown me that these people are all selfless individuals, wanting to help me as much as possible. Because their support has pushed me to reach goals and get through even the worst of times, I always try and do the same for them because I know how much of a difference it can make.
Leslie Mendoza
November 16, 2010 at 12:31 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
It takes more than a dream to create something. You need resources. Support which can manifests itself into the forms of financial, emotional or staff in order to carry out the mission of the group. Those are the type of people that help service leaders.
Tom White, for Farmer, provided the financial support for his group by providing money for the expensive medicine to fight off tuberculosis, which the poor would have otherwise not have been able to afford and Farmer would have continued his Robin Hood manner of obtaining them.
Many others supported Farmer as his staff.
Ophelia, despite never becoming the wife, provided Farmer with emotional support (along with other close friends like Jim) the times when he felt helpless against what he was fighting for- the war against tuberculosis (when he sometimes couldn’t save someone, especially children) or the loss of the person he admired, Pastor Jack.
Then there’s Jim, the once second hand man who changes from treating patients into becoming involved in the political process.
Farmer provided the dream and started the initiative, but his relationships with these individuals provided the help in order for his dream to progress. With no emotional support, Farmer could not survive psychologically seeing many deaths. With no financial backing, little he could do without having the appropriate equipment to treat patients.
When I’m stressed out, confused and at a loss of what to do, my friends help me find my way. And even if they cannot provide a direct answer as to whatever it is is disorienting me, just their presence and earnest feelings is what helps me get through. I feel like I’ve been really lucky in having met the people I’ve met. Just thinking about it right now makes me feel really happy when I remember the kindness they have shown when we were once strangers. It’s because of that that helps me to continue to do my best. It’s not that I feel obligated to give kindness after having received kindness, but I think, like I’ve mentioned before, I think it’s the feeling itself that matters.
So to answer the question about the type of individuals I support, I don’t know. I like to do my best to help when I can: to listen, to do, to teach, and to aid. But I don’t want to be in the top of the hierarchy. I want to be down where I can see what is happening (or at least, that’s where I stand as of right now after being section leader for a year). Otherwise, a highly respectful apperance might create intimidation for a shyer person (at least that’s the opinion of this sometimes shy person).
Ai-Thuan Nguyen
November 16, 2010 at 12:34 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
The people who support service leaders are those that have similar passions as their service leader. They support anything the service leader does and is willing do anything to progress towards that goal. People that support service leaders want to be like the service leader but might have something holding them back so they try to help the service leader in any way possible.
Those who support Farmer makes a big difference, even thought they might not realize it. People such as Father Jack Roussin and Jaime Bayona. Father Jack supported Farmer and allowed him to stay in his place while Farmer was in medical school. Father Roussin gave a different supporting role compared to Farmer’s in patient care. While Farmer gave out medical services, Father Roussin gave the patients spiritual support. When Father Roussin died, it propelled Farmer to start a tuberculosis campaign for people with possibly the same strain in Peru. Farmer is admirable because he takes everything one step further than the average person would. Jaime Bayona was of extraordinary help to Farmer when he was in Peru fighting tuberculosis. He worked as a translator for Farmer and the Peruvian patients. It would have been a complete disaster if Bayona was not there to support Farmer towards his goals. With every successful person, there have to be a crowd people that helped them get there.
The people who support me in my life are mostly my friends and family. My family has always been there for me and I know I can depend on them for anything. It can range from financial support to spiritual support, I can go to them for anything. On the other hands, my friends are helping me get through the days because life can get a little difficult sometimes. These two support beams keep me moving forward and do what I want to do.
David Moghissi
November 16, 2010 at 12:34 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
A leader is nothing without the team that stands behind him or her. Service leaders cannot handle every situation alone and often need help navigating though logistical, financial, or labor problems. Farmer is no exception to this rule. People like, Jim Kim, for example, helped facilitate Farmer’s accomplishments either directly or indirectly. Kim is notable for the labor he did related to PIH and the consistency of his efforts. Also, Tom White played a major supporting role in Farmer’s actions from a financial perspective. Donations from White’s company back in the states brought Farmer much closer to his goals. Furthermore, characters like Jaime Bayona were invaluable to Farmer logistically because they handled medical records that Farmer didn’t and spoke languages that Farmer needed assistance with. These contributions are important because they gave Farmer the keys to open doors that were previously closed to him. He wanted to focus primarily on medical care in the field and to do this, team-members like those previously described are imperative.
When I reflect on who supports me in my life, I really have to give a lot of credit to my parents. My Mother and Father have always been there to guide my development on many fronts. One aspect that’s most relevant to this class is the emphasis on community service that they have tried to foster in my family. My Dad, for example, always encouraged us to give back to the areas in which we live and help those less fortunate. Whether that meant joining in 5k walks for cancer research or helping rebuild some of the run-down parks by our house, he’s always been there to encourage my participation. I think I’ve supported me little brother the most in his service efforts. He’s 4 years younger than I am so he’s old enough to want to organize community service projects but still needs help with planning. At the end of the day, its rewarding for me to see him learn from the help I give him.
Hyun Joo Lee
November 16, 2010 at 12:36 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Service leaders dedicatedly work towards their vision of making the world a better place to live in. In order to do so, service leaders need people that support them. People who support service leaders are usually full of the same passion, interest, vision, and goals as their leader. Together as a team, their efforts and commitment towards improving their issue of interest can gradually become visible in this world. While there are many characteristics desirable and admirable in a service leader, one general, particular characteristic a service leader needs to have is strong leadership skills that can influence others to believe in their cause, dream the way they do, and actively participate in supporting the cause. No matter how committed a service leader is in their cause, change can not be done by a one-man show; thus, without his supporters, the dream can no longer become reality.
Farmer was surrounded by many people around him supporting his vision. The following people are some supporters of Farmer: Tom White, Jim Kim, Ophelia, and Father Jack Roussin. Their contribution varies greatly—but each one is preciously significant for they all made Farmer’s vision a reality. Tom White financially funded Farmer’s projects, which is very needed because without money, projects are hard to carry out in society and Farmer would not have been able to provide free medical service to the poor. Jim Kim, another respectable doctor, works very closely with Farmer to fight TB in Peru. Ophelia, Farmer’s ex-girlfriend, understood, believed, accepted, and supported Farmer’s dream. Father Jack Roussin provided religious services to patients in Peru.
My family is an enormous supporter in my life. Since I was much younger, they have always encouraged me to dream a bigger dream and to make a significant beneficial impact in the community in whatever small or big way I can. But most importantly, they always believe in me and in the decisions I make—and always wholeheartedly trusts me. My boyfriend is another enormous supporter of my life in so many ways. He is always there to listen to my thoughts and possible worries—and he always knows how to make me smile. My sixth grade teacher is someone who I respect and remember fondly of because he has influenced me to believe that I have endless possibilities in life and that I can do anything if I truly believed in it. My friends are another support system in my life because I can talk about various things in my life with them and we always find something to laugh about, which makes hanging out with them very enjoyable. Aside from those I mentioned, there are others—and I feel really blessed and thankful for the support I receive.
Andre Navarro
November 16, 2010 at 12:41 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I think people who support service leaders are people who understand and appreciate the need for change. I also do not think people who support service leaders need to be in positions of power, anyone who acknowledges that there is a problem and can help in any way possible is in my definition of a service leader’s supporter. I feel like it can be extremely hard at times for a service leader to keep doing what they are doing because I’m sure there are times when the leader just wants to give up. Farmer’s (Farmer being the service leader) supports come in many forms. His “esteemed colleges” his girl friend, and even earlier in the story his father. I think the most significant supporters are the patients that he treats. Tom White defiantly was a great support for Farmer; his public charity in Boston (PIH) helped out a lot when the donations were funneled to Cange. The money which came from all the donations from PIH help support Farmers causes. Supports from my life include my family and friends. My family has never told me what I should be doing, or what they want me to do; however, they have always supported my goals and dreams. I think a lot of energy comes from this support and without it, I defiantly feel like things would be a lot harder. My friends are always encouraging me to go above and beyond, and the ones who look at me funny when I talk about future goals are in a way supportive as well. Sometimes I’ll talk about volunteering and some my friends who don’t volunteer tend to have a negative outlook about doing such things. When I hear what they have to say and some of the negative comments it only makes me want to work harder to prove them wrong. My support goes to everyone I can encourage. I feel I have inspired a couple of friends to go back to school and get their degree.
Natasha Zubair
November 16, 2010 at 12:43 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support service leaders are those that admire the service leaders’ work, morals, values, beliefs, and leadership skills. They don’t necessarily have to agree with every single thing the service leader stands for but maybe has belief in that service leader’s potential, dedication, and passion for the work they contribute to. Farmer is supported by many people such as the Haitians who support Farmer in treating their community and building the PIH. Speaking of the Partners in Health clinic, Dr. Kim has always supported Farmer by taking care of the logistics and being Farmer’s co worker and next in line to take charge of the situation at hand. A different kind of supporter for Farmer that provides emotional support is Didi. She encourages him in every project he takes on and makes sacrifices on her part in order to ensure that he is catering to the community. Similarly, I respect the people in my life that provide me with emotional support such as my family, friends, and adults that I have come into close contact with because I have worked with them and learned many things from them. Without their constant encouragement, I sometimes would not be able to see what I am capable of or which of my qualities stand out that make me who I am. The people I support aren’t necessarily the people that support me but I see value in them and their efforts and admire the type of work they do. I admire that they sometimes take challenges I would never be able to or that they have a way of thinking completely different from my own so I respect them for having a more open mind. Of course I support those people that support me too and I try to tell them how appreciative I am of them and their efforts in making me a more successful and better person.
Elim Loi
November 16, 2010 at 12:49 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
There are many people that can support service leaders. Because people have different strengths and weaknesses, it is beneficial to have a network or team of people to work together and bring their strengths that can help in others’ weaknesses. For example, one of Farmer’s supporters, Roussin, can use his religious services to go alongside Farmer to serve the people they come across in another important way besides medical services. They can form a team with multiple talents to further their service missions and projects. It is really effective that their differences can complement their work in service. Also, Kim supports Farmer in a variety of ways doing simple things but definitely being a great help for effective time and accomplishments. In my life, I think it is good to support many people when you can and I am thankful for whoever supports me. I have been realizing that everyone’s talents can be so different yet play such a strong role in fitting in as a member of a team doing certain things that fit you. I like when people support me in anything i do because i know they can contribute in a way that i may not be able to or definitely would not have been able to achieve just by myself. Everyone can find a place or person they can support because it builds networks as well. Skills, knowledge and attitudes are all attributes people can share when connecting to fortify and benefit the services they work together on.
Symone Magsombol
November 16, 2010 at 1:09 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support services leaders are those who would like to make a difference in the world through service to others with compassion. They want to contribute assistance for the community and inspire others to do the same. As a class, I view that we all share this same philosophy; the idea of supporting and gaining leadership through the service of helping others. For instance, monetary donors to non-profit organizations are prime examples of those who support service leaders because they are assisting the organization through financial needs; and therefore, they must believe in that organization’s purpose or goal. There are many people who support Farmer, and his goal for providing better health care to the less fortunate, however I feel someone who really seems to support him the most would be his wife. She is there supporting him with her love and emotional support for doing his philanthropy causes for others. Also, like I mentioned as an example above, those who help Farmer’s cause financially are great supporters to him as well because without the financial support, Farmer would not be able to continue on with all his health programs to assist others.
Last but not least, I have many supporters in my life. I would be where I am today with all of them; my family, friends, roommates, relatives, co-members in organizations. Each of them have always been there to encourage me to do my best, talk to me through emotional support, and share their experiences to teach me lessons from their own. I am very thankful and grateful for them to be in my life, without them I feel like I would be a different person and have a different outlook on life.
Wendy Salazar
November 16, 2010 at 1:14 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
People who support service leaders or are involved in service do so because they want to make a difference in the world. They acknowledge that there are problems and want to do their part to change that. As we’ve discussed in class, not every single person is meant to stand up for a cause and lead a mission, but those that do not want to take on that full on responsibility might still want to contribute. People can do this through many ways. Some people find it easier to donate money for a specific cause while others like to give a little more of their time and be more hands on. In the end, people usually use their knowledge and experience to most benefit the general public. For example, Farmer used his medicine, while Father Jack used his faith. Farmer demonstrates the importance of networking since you never know when you might need a certain someone’s help. The more people you know, the more means of helping.
The majority of people who support me in life have known me for a long period of time and know my true potential. Such people include my family, long time friends, and boyfriend. Others who have definitely supported me in all my goals and have served as mentors would have to be my supervisors, professors, coworkers, and college friends. These people are able to understand the hard work I must put into my academics, work, and the required steps to get to where I want to be. The first group (family and friends) is able to offer me emotional support and praise for my accomplishments. Unfortunately, since the majority of them have lesser education and experience in my field of interest, they are unable to understand some of the daily struggles and my passion for making a positive influence in the field of education. Regardless, I need and much appreciate both kinds of support, especially when working on an intense service project or putting together a workshop.
Lastly, I try to give those around me both kinds of support. Whether it is my students, younger brother, or closest friends I try to provide them with both informational and emotional support. In regards to the reasons for helping others, I think it’s just a matter of giving back. Something so little can have a huge impact on a person’s life. I want to be able to part of that. Plus, like Farmer, I might one day need their help as well.
Cindy Arias
November 16, 2010 at 1:19 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
As Patricia Chiu stated, Farmer would not have been able to accomplish what he has done for the medical field if it were not for the support he recieved from his fellow service learning associates.Throughout the book, it is clearly seen that Farmer has a passion that drives his commitment to causes beyond the impossible. However, if it were not his connections that transitioned smmothly from Peru to Haiti or from his very informational contact in Denver that passion would have not leapt from the impossible to the possible. I think this is an important example of the type of service learning activity seen today. There are so many different types of opportunities that volunteers and people who want to make a difference can indulge in and in reality many of these organizations are giving more than an opportunity for these individuals- they are in desperate need to develop additional help and an extended hand in doing what they do. Volunteers are what keep an organization running smoothly. In my perspective, the heart that Farmer has in balancing out the injustices of life is similar to organizations that provide similar service, if it were not for the speical ‘volunteers; in his life, his passion would go unnotice. Likewise, I feel as if I did not have the people in my life who continually support my -ever changing- goals and who provide me with the assistance I need, I would be lost. Like Farmer, surrounding myself with people of different backgrounds has also enhanced my tolerance of other cultures and practices.
Dulshani BalasuriyaArachchi
November 16, 2010 at 1:22 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I think in general people who support service leaders are once that have faith and believe in what these leaders are doing. The supporters provide funding and other necessary supplies to these leaders to carry on with their work. Farmer had many supporters and admirers from countries around the world. Farmer traveled around the world to find sponsors and raise money and some actually helped. He received financial support and advice from different people. For example Soros Foundation provided money to help prevent TB in Russia and arranged a meeting at the white house with Hillary Clinton to discuss, bring awareness and raise money to medical issues. Personally, my family is my main support system, followed by my friends. They support me because they believe in me and help me achieve my goals.
Noelia
November 16, 2010 at 1:26 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
As I think about this weeks reading one thought comes to my mind: there is so much to do and only one John Farmer. Disease, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, and many other things that ravage the human population leave the task at hand seemingly gargantuan in proportion. Entities like the WHO and the World Bank along with Farmer’s supporters for Peru and Haiti are valuable financial contributors. Farmer contributes his time, his mind and education, and his energy; in essence, himself. Farmer has many supporters who are interested in the good of those being affected by disease among other things, this in conjunction with his own contributions are a recipe for change.
In my own life, I have a host of supporters who financially, emotionally, and physically support me in many ways. People like my daughter, parents, friends, and my church family and friends are essential players in social and personal world. I am also, I hope, a support and contributor in the lives of my family and friends as well. This relational giving and receiving is essential for healthy, growing friendships and relationships.
The privilege of helping others is one that may seem overwhelming at times, and although I personally may have the genius that Farmer boasts, I can make a difference within my surroundings, my community, and, dare I say, the world!
noelia
November 16, 2010 at 1:29 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I meant to say, I may NOT have the genius he does
Nimrah Salim
November 16, 2010 at 1:32 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Farmer gets help and support from the people that surround him in his field. It seems as though the people who really support him are Father Jack a, Ophelia, Jim and Didi. I think that they help in through various contributions such as a place to stay as well as helping out with various tasks that Farmer needed to get done. His companions also give inspiration to him as well as emotional support that he needs in hard times. One of the examples was father Jack. He provides Farmer with companionship of someone who has the same goals that he does. Father Jack although had similar goals, his approach to people was different. I think that is what made them work together so well, because while Father Jack had the religious and spiritual aspect that the people needed Farmer had the medicinal aspect. I felt like those two came together and sort of provided a complete approach to what needed to be done. In addition Father Jack also was one that gave Farmer a lot of inspiration and that inspiration was what led to Farmer going a lot of things that he did. Other people give Farmer support through monetary help to complete the projects that Farmer tries to accomplish such as Tom White. I believe that the most important support he gets is from Father Jack and his wife Didi, because they both provide emotional and moral support as well as encouragement to get him to where he is.
For myself the people that support me are my family as well as my friends. My family is the one that I can be myself to and they are the one that will critique me when needed. They are the ones I can look to if I want a complete and honest opinion of something. In addition they are also there for encouragement. My mom’s support comes from her ability to listen and give advice, while my dad’s support stems from him making sure that I am all right and his willingness to help me if I need something. In addition my friends also help encourage me and give me support when needed. They would be the people I would go to when I need emotional support. I also get support from various people in the community such as teachers older family friends that like me were raised here and have gone through may of the same things that I am currently going through. The people I provide support to are my friends as well as my family. I think that I support my siblings such as by listening to them and helping them when they need it. I try to use what I have learned about growing up and going to college and use it to help my younger sister. I feel like my ability to listen really well to people has made me a sort of emotional support to some of my friends.
Christine Thrasher
November 16, 2010 at 2:16 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
By Tuesday at 1:30, talk a little about the people who support service leaders? Who supports Farmer and how? How are their contributions important? How are they different from his? What about the people who support you in your life? What about those you support.
Paul Farmer receives support from many people during his work and travel, in both big and small ways. For instance, he receives monetary donations to his charity from people all over the world, including Tracy Kidder. On a bigger level, he receives support from Father Roussin, who allowed him to live in the rectory during medical school. This kind of support is something that could allow Farmer to pursue his dreams and make real change in the lives of others, instead of having to worry about how he was going to support himself. His ex-girlfriend, Ophelia, also supported him on a personal level by accepting him for who he was and supporting him emotionally. Jim Kim helped him achieve his goals by helping him with tasks that needed to be done.
The people that support me in my life are my boyfriend, my friends, and my parents. My boyfriend and friends support me emotionally and encourage me to be optimistic. My parents support me financially, enabling me to pursue my academic goals. Without this social support system, I would not be where I am today, because I wouldn’t be able to endure the stress of life without friends, and I would not be able to afford school without my parents.
I support my friends and my boyfriend. I am a good listener, and people come to me for emotional support, because I care about them and don’t judge them. By boyfriend and I have been able to stay together for this long because of how we both support each other and accept each other for who we are.
Gaurav Nihalani
November 17, 2010 at 10:30 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Farmer did a lot of work to help people with various diseases and none of it could have been possible without the help he received from his peers. Jim Kim helps him with many tasks by being Farmer’s right hand man. Father Roussin allows Farmer to stay in the recotory while he is in medical school. Also, he gets donations for his work from Tracy Kidder. All these different people coming together are great support for Farmer and allow him to pursue his goals and achieve them better and faster than he could have done alone.
I believe that there are people out there who are meant to do certain things and Farmer is a perfect example of this. The main thing for these people to succeed has to do with the help and support they have access to. Without this support a person like Farmer may have wasted his talents and perhaps may have never helped anybody.
I feel that in my life I need all the help I can get as well. Although I am quite independent and self motivated, there have been many instances when help from another individual has been greatly appreciated. For instance, when doing my service for this class it has been a great help that one of my friends volunteered to join the cause and help me with my work. Without his help it would take me twice as long to clean my areas and his company definitely makes the service more enjoyable and therefore something I continue to pursue.