Alongside 14 other electric cooperative volunteers from across North Carolina, I traveled to the village of El Plan Nuevo Amanecer to help bring electricity to families who had never had it before. Together, we built more than three miles of power line that would ultimately serve more than 50 homes, a school, two churches and the village’s only health clinic.

The work itself was challenging, but it wasn’t the work that changed me. It was the people.

As we spent time in the community, I was struck by how little many of the families had compared to what we are accustomed to here in the United States. Yet despite having so little, they were incredibly generous, welcoming and grateful. The children smiled constantly. Neighbors helped one another without hesitation. There was a strong sense of community and appreciation for things many of us hardly think about from day to day.

Like most people, I know I sometimes take things for granted. We flip on a light switch without a second thought. We charge our phones, run appliances, watch television and enjoy conveniences that have become a normal part of everyday life. In Guatemala, I was reminded that those simple things are not available to everyone.

This trip reminded me that some of the things we value most aren’t the things we own, but the opportunities we have to help others.

One of the most emotional moments came when the project was completed and the community gathered to celebrate. Seeing the excitement on the faces of the children and the gratitude from the families is something I will never forget. They understood that electricity would do more than provide light. It would create opportunities. Students would have better conditions for learning. The health clinic could better serve patients. Families would have new ways to cook, work and improve their daily lives.

The experience gave me a renewed appreciation for the work we do every day as cooperative employees. Providing safe, reliable electricity is something we are proud to do for our members, but seeing firsthand what life is like without it put that responsibility into a whole new perspective.

I returned home grateful — not only for the opportunity to serve, but for the many blessings we enjoy each day. This trip reminded me that some of the things we value most aren’t the things we own, but the opportunities we have to help others. I will carry the memories of El Plan Nuevo Amanecer with me for the rest of my life, and I am proud to have represented North Carolina’s electric cooperatives, Edgecombe-Martin County EMC, and the cooperative spirit that makes projects like this possible.