Wednesday, May 20, 2020

How Animal Testing Effect On Medicine - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1462 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/04/04 Category Biology Essay Level High school Tags: Animal Testing Essay Did you like this example? The use of animals can be helpful for activities like transportation and as pets, sports, recreation and companionship. In everyday life, we are all involved with animals in one way or another. Many of us have pets such as dogs and cats, others live on farms where they have cattle, horses and sheep. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "How Animal Testing Effect On Medicine" essay for you Create order However, not all animals fit into these categories. There is another group of animals that we are not aware of. These are animals that are used to help save our lives through scientific research and testing purposes. Although many lifesaving drugs were invented through experiments that were run on animals, animal advocates think the scientific outcomes are inhumane to the animals going through these experiments. Animal testing is when animals are used to test medications or to study the human body. Animal experiments are not the same as taking your dog or cat to the vet. Animals used for testing are harmed and are usually killed at the end of the experiment. Animal testing involves injecting medications in the animal which sometimes kills them. When animals are going through testing they take in toxic gas and sometimes die from exposure to radiation and chemicals (Animal Testing). Animal testing for science experiments was used in the 17th century in the UK. Hervey was one of the most educated in his time. One of Herveys experiments tested many animal species aiming to demonstrate blood circulation. In 1876 the government passed the cruelty to Animals Act, the first legislation aimed directly at regulating animal experiments. Galen a Greek physician who practiced medicine in Rome conducted animal experiments to understanding the of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology of the body. Ibn Zurh, an Arab physician in 12th century studied and learned in Moorish Spain and introduced and started animal testing as an experimental method for testing surgical procedures before testing them on human patients (Animal Testing and Medicine). In 2016, the US government statistics put the number of Labatory animals used in research for medicine at 820,813, a 7% rise from 2015. Researchers in the United States use approximately 12 to 27 million animals in research. For every animal used in experiments it is estimated that 14% or more are killed on our roads. The number of animals used in research has gone up with the advancement in medical technology. Every year, millions of experimental animals are used all over the world (US Statics). In one study dogs had their pancreases removed by doing this it led to the discovery of insulin which is critical to saving the lives of diabetics. The polio vaccine performed on animals and this reduced the global outbreaks of this disease from 350,000 cases in 1988 to 27 cases in 2016. Animal research has also contributed to major advances in understanding and treating conditions such as brain injury, cystic fibrosis, malaria, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, and many other dieses in the development of pacemakers, cardiac valve substitutes, and anesthetics. Using animals for experimentation has led to the discovery of insulin and the polio vaccine also tested on animals is helping people from getting these diseases. Animal testing isnt all that bad as there are some good benefits. The use of animal testing has helped humans test and discover more and more new medicines. Humans and animals share hundreds of illnesses. Animals testing helps us fix and test new medications to help fight off disease. Dogs suffer from cancer, diabetes, ulcers and bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, which make them natural candidates for research. Cats suffer from some of the same defects as humans. In these cases, we can learn how disease affects the body, how the immune system responds and who will be affected by these dieses (Animal research info). New medicines require testing because researchers must ensure that the new medicine is safe to distribute out to the public (medical benefits). There are some beneficial outcome of animal testing. In the 1940, penicillin was testing on animals. Eight mice were injected with a dose of 110 million streptococci bacteria. One hour later, four of other mice were injected with penicillin. The mice survived but the untreated ones died. Florey said, It looks like a miracle. The amount of penicillin needed to treat a human is 3000 times greater than for a mouse. Without this medication and animal testing, penicillin would not have been developed further. Penicillin has evolved by the ability to treat bacterial infection, which was one of the major causes of deaths in the US. This simple animal experiment has saved of millions of lives, both in humans and animals (medical benefits-penicillin). Another benefit of animal testing is when the first successful blood transfusion happened. This idea was first performed on a dog by Richard Lower in 1666 and was perfected in dogs by 1907. Clotting was prevented by the adding in sodium citrate and citrated blood was shown to be safe for transfusion to dogs in 1914 (medical benefits) and another case is in 1915 a blood transfusion was tested on a dog since then blood transfusion have helped many people and is used after an injury, surgery and to treat cancers (medical benefits). According to Humane Society, animal experiments are known to induce force feeding and a lack of food and water which also includes the infliction of burns and wounds to study the healing process of the human body. Animals are used to find new medications and are often put through painful situations to find a new cure to a new dieses (animal testing pro-con). Millions of animals are used in resources or as research models every year, in testing and in universities and labs throughout the world. Mice, hamsters, rabbits, dogs, and pigs suffer from experiments in areas of biology, biochemistry, physiology. We inject them with viruses to alter their DNA, we submit them to starvation or electric shocks to test their resistance, burn them alive, apply solutions to their eyes and skin, we block their glands, force them to inhale toxic substances, submit them to radiation and extreme temperatures. * Around the world researchers are finding new ways to replace animal testing. Researchers at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have recently built an organs-on-a-chip that models atherosclerosis (the constriction of blood vessels). This is one of the leading causes of heart attacks and strokes. In a recent study in bioengineering, researchers explain how the device can be used to study inflammatory responses in cells that line the vessel. This could not have been found in animal models using animal testing. This device could help researchers bet ­ter understand atherosclerosis and develop new treatments for both humans and animals (replace animal testing). If it wasnt for animal testing, we wouldnt have discovered different types of medicine without using a human body. In fact, many of medical advances have come without the use of other animals and if researchers invested the resources into animal-free methods we might have advanced our medical cures at a much fas ter rate. While the FDA now has a roadmap to end animal test ­ing and is funding research on alternatives, there are still roadblocks to overcome. One important step toward im? ­plementation is for the FDA to clearly communicate to the pharmaceutical industry that human-based test methods are accepted if sufficiently evaluated. The FDA and drug development holders have known that for more than 13 years approximately 92 percent of new medicines fail in humans after passing animal tests, but this hasnt made any progress in modernizing its test methods. While the FDA has alternative for animal testing there are still some issues to get through like funding and also to talk to the pharmaceutical industry (replacing animal testing). Besides the major concern of ethics, there are a few more disadvantages of animal experimentation because it is time consuming and there are protocols and high cost expenses. Various alternatives to animal testing are proposed to overcome the drawbacks associated with animal experiments and avoid unethical procedures. A strategy of 3 Rs (reduction, refinement and replacement) is being applied for laboratory use of animals. Different methods and alternative organisms are being applied to be in this strategy. These methods provide an alternative means for the drug and chemical testing. Animal testing can be very time consuming, expensive and unethical to find new medicines (alternative to animal testing). Animal testing is very useful in developing medicine but there are many downsides to it. The information I just talked about will give a perspective on whether animals testing is useful or down right cruel. There are many benefits of using animals for testing new medicines. Some ways this technic is very useful, but it can be very cruel and inhumane to animals. In the reasons I explained animal testing has its benefits and its downsides but helps the human population survive and live a little bit longer in life enjoying the small things.

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk Fighters Essay - 1024 Words

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was a single-engine, single-seat, metal fighter plane and ground-attack aircraft that was made by the Americans. The P-40 Warhawk fighters first flew in 1938 and caught the attention of the United States Army Air Corps, who placed the largest fighter plane order it had ever made for fighters for a count of 524 at a cost of US$13 million. This was the earliest serious fighter in WWII and did its job until better fighters came out. It was known as a safe and secure aircraft that was able to fly pilots back home after being shot up in action. Many variants of this plane were later created. In addition, the shark teeth graphics were a big feature on this plane. The first flight of the XP40 was in Buffalo, NY by a man†¦show more content†¦A P-40 would out-roll a Zero at high speeds, and a good P-40 pilot could use this to great effect if the Zero pilot fell for it. Another thing was that for every good Zero model, the P-40 had a variant that was faster. Therefore, the P-40 pilot could always break off an attack. The P-40, of course, had an even greater advantage in diving speeds, with well over 400 miles per hour attainable with no risk of damage to the planes strong airframe. Early Zeros couldnt hit 350 miles per hour without the risk of damage to their plane. To get back on topic of the P-40’s design, the P-40’s rudder had red, white, and blue stripes. The engine cowling had a large shark mouth and eye. There were actually only 199 P-40s made. The rest were variants of it. The next step in the P-40 developmental stage was the P-40A. The P-40A received a camera installation near the rear of the fuselage. The P-40B received a better protected fuel system to keep it from possibly being blown up. The P-40C then was given the ability to carry bombs and received self-sealing gas tanks. Less than 50 P-40 Ds were made, and they basically got a complete overhaul. They had a completely redesigned canopy, better cockpit, and all had two machine guns added, one in each wing and the distinctive chin air scoop was made bigger so they could properly cool the large Allison engines .The P-40E and P-40 E-I was a lot like the P-40D except the engines were a littleShow MoreRelatedJapan s Attack On Pearl Harbor Essay2361 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"The Chopper† Finally, the aircrafts that were used over the course of the war also had a large impact on the outcome of the war. Three examples of these aircraft were the Grumman F6F Hellcat, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and finally the Boeing B-29 Super Fortress. The Hellcat was a fighter that was designed to take off of aircraft carriers. The Hellcat was known for it’s ability to secure air superiority over the Japanese in the Pacific. Throughout the entire war, the Hellcats were creditedRead MoreThe Safety Of Military Equipment1902 Words   |  8 Pagesassigning enlisted men. Most of them had been in training for aircrew duties in other fields such as pilots, navigators and bombardiers better know as flight clerks. The flight clerks were assigned to a special flight called â€Å"Red Ball.† This flight was set p to deliver crucial aircraft parts to ATC (Air Traffic Control) units.By the end of the war flight clerks where flying on mostly four-engine transports to be responsible for c argo and passengers as well. In the late 1940’s the term ‘loadmaster’ had been

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

No Good And Nobody Is All Evil - 1967 Words

Nobody is all good and nobody is all evil. Throughout all history, whether it be in the United States or somewhere else in the world, there has always been people who are infamous for unspeakable crimes or for their tremendous acts of bravery. There has always been people who have seemed to be the literal definition of good and evil and have always been made out like they were exactly that: completely good or completely evil. It’s easy to label a person like that, to ignore any of their other actions that may contradict what the world knows them as, but that’s the thing about labels; nobody can truly fit completely under them. Even someone like Adolf Hitler was once upon a time an okay person before he was completely driven by fear and bitterness to the point he actually attempted to wipe out an entire group of people. The question is, if a person’s actions were courageous or wicked enough, should they only be defined by those actions? Someone like Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was a racist his whole life, someone who was involved in the trading of slaves and even joined the Ku Klux Klan after the war because he was so bitter about the defeat of the Confederacy; should he be defined by only these hateful actions? The answer depends: because while no one is completely good or completely evil-like Adolf Hitler, Forrest believed that one group of people was superior to another; and instead of silently hating, Forrest decided to take action and help fight for a cause that wentShow MoreRelatedWhat is the Meaning of Being Human?849 Words   |  3 Pagesof being human? Everyone has been asking these questions yet no one can actually come to a full on conclusion, what it really is to be human, because nobody actually knows. When we are born nobody is automatically imprinted with what it means, because nobody knows. Sure people have their theories about it and their beliefs on what it is but that’s all it stays, and it remains theories. Throug hout time, many philosophers have come up with plausible, but also contradicting answers to questions beingRead MoreIs Disobeying A Higher Power?1194 Words   |  5 Pagesauthority that put him in prison. I agree with Socrates, disobeying authority is wrong, but the final authority of any situation lies within oneself. Everyone has the right to choose what they do. The actions of a person belong to the one doing them and nobody else. Obedience is an urge weaved inside the very fiber of our existence. Stanley Milgram writes about this in his essay â€Å"The Perils of Obedience† when he says â€Å"For many people, obedience is a deeply ingrained behavior tendency, indeed a potent impulseRead MoreFour Characters In The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman885 Words   |  4 Pagesauthor, Neil Gaiman created a spectacular novel called The Graveyard Book. This amazing book is about an orphan named Nobody Owens also known as â€Å"Bod† who was raised in a graveyard. This novel is so striking and marvelous. The significance of these four characters participates in the novel as a whole. Four characters of The Graveyard Book are Nobody Owens/Bod, Jack Frost/Jacks of All Trade, Ms. Owens, and Silas. ‘’Bod’’ is the main character, as mentioned in the beginning, he was an orphan who wasRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Young Goodman Brown895 Words   |  4 Pages In the story of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† the setting of Salem village is characterized as a place of evil and darkness. Salem is a place known for witchcraft, especially during the Salem witch trials, were women who were accused of being witches were killed. Most of the story takes place in the forest at night. While on his journey into the forest, the narrator comes a across a mystery man. While on his trip the narrator comes to the realization that he does not truly know the people from the villageRead MoreWhat Are You? How Do You Exist?1050 Words   |  5 Pagesenjoy forever all the blessings provided by him. However, because of the poor choices made by the first pair, we have inherited sin and death. Where does morality come from? Are there objective morals? There are objective morals and standards and they come from the one who created everything else, God. God by his very Person, his ways, and his words, is the supreme standard for all the universe, the definition and the sum of all goodness. What is wrong with the world? Is there evil? Where doesRead More How Stevenson Depicts the Relationship between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1131 Words   |  5 Pagesfor people to work out for themselves, with a brief explanation at the end of the book. For most of the story, nobody can explain their relationship, as they are never seen together. People are confused as to how they know each other and became such good friends. Clues are given throughout the story that they are the same person; not enough to guess on your own, but so that it all makes sense in the end. These clues include the fact that Hyde once goes into Jekylls home and takes out JekyllsRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1064 Words   |  5 Pagesor his common name, the devil. From an English perspective, he is the first antagonist. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the Devil is the main cause of conflict. He is the root of Evil. Now the reaction to devilish behavior varies from person to person, possibly even society to society. The Puritan society combats evil doing with actions that could be considered worse than the Devil s worst of deeds. This is demonstrated by Reverend Hale, whose importance starts initially as a figurehead of judgmentRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Human Nature1140 Words   |  5 Pagessimply permits the doer to do evil. In Socrates’ assertion, free will is contingent on self-control because without it, one can find oneself enslaved to a material thing or desire. Based on reading and prior knowledge, it can be deduced that the only thing that can truly keep one from vice is free will. As Augustine examines certain events in his own life, he tries to analyze human nature as a whole, and explores why human beings, even children, have the will to commit evil acts. Augustine believesRead MoreStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde1580 Words   |  6 PagesIn this book, there exist a battle between good and evil in the main characters where we are bound to ask ourselves what is superior between good and evil? Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are easily seen as an allegory of the evil and good that exists in men. The book depicts the struggle with two sides of the human personality. Since Mr. Hyde seems to be taking over Dr. Jekyll, one could claim that evil is stronger than good. Nevertheless, Mr. Hyde ends up dead at the end of the story, which strongly showsRead MoreThe Message For Original Audience890 Words   |  4 Pagesthey should move? What strategies does Jesus/Mark use to move them from starting state to end state? Mark presents a confrontation between Jesus and the evil spirits that controlled the man. Mark impressed the audience of the horrible situation the man was in as described in 5:3 using ÃŽ ¿Ã¡ ½ ÃŽ ´Ã¡ ½ ² (not even) á ¼ ÃŽ »Ã ÃÆ'ÃŽ µÃŽ ¹ (anymore) ÃŽ ¿Ã¡ ½ ÃŽ ´ÃŽ µÃ¡ ½ ¶Ãâ€š (no one). The evil spirits were a legion and they attempted to resist exorcism but fail. They went into the pigs and went into the sea. People in the town were afraid of the

Through it All, Richard Nixon was a Great American

Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States of America. He was born in Yorba Linda, California. He was born to Francis Anthony Nixon and Hannah Milhous Nixon. He also was the second of five children, all boys. His brothers Harold and Arthur, died at an early age for him, when Harold died at 24. he was 20, and when Arthur died at 7 years old, Richard was only 12 years old. He was born on a ranch, living in a home his father had built. When the ranch didn’t prosper, the Nixon family moved to Whittier, California, to be closer to Hannah’s family. In 1930, he became enrolled in Whittier College, studying interests such as, drama, football, and student government. He then later graduated 7 years later, in June of 1937. In January of 1938, a mere year after he graduated, he enrolled himself in Whittier College once again, but this time, to pursue his new interest of law firm. Whilst continuing studying he met a Schoolteacher whose name was Thelma Catheri ne Ryan, who went by â€Å"Pat† for short. They married on June 21st, 1940. In January 19742, they moved to Washington D.C. After quitting his job, at the Office of Price Administration, he joined the Navy, where he served in Combat Air Transport Command. In 1946, at the end of the war, Republicans encouraged Nixon to run for congress, and in November of 1946, he won over the seat by more than 15,00 votes. In order to become the Senator of California, in 1950 Richard Nixon defeated Helen Gahagan Douglas, aShow MoreRelatedBiography of Richard Milhous Nixon Essay1194 Words   |  5 Pages Richard Milhous Nixon, a US President, resigned from office. Richard Nixon went through a lot of hard troubles to get to presidency to have to resign before he could finish his second term, even though he did some great deeds as president. Nixon despite his mistakes, made a great impact on the United States. Nixon’s childhood wasn’t the childhood one dreams of having. Nixon was born on January 9, 1913 on a lemon ranch in Yorba Linda, California. His parents were not wealthy which meant NixonRead MoreThe Watergate Scandal Of The United States1172 Words   |  5 PagesNegligent Nixon: The Watergate Scandal The President of the United States is one of the most coveted, but difficult positions to obtain in the world. Every four years a new leader is elected to uphold the supreme laws of the land that make up our constitution. The president is sworn into office on their inaugural day in January where they are sworn to faithfully execute and support all laws in the constitution, delegate international matters, and be an advocate for the people. As the new leader ofRead MoreSpeech : An Analysis Of Richard Nixons Speech1441 Words   |  6 Pagesthe 1952 presidential election, vice-presidential candidate Richard Nixon confronted a selective political persecution. He was targeted, possibly by those within his own party, by the drudging up and the exposing of a slush fund, in which Nixon used to pay for extra governmental expenses. Instead by heeding to the political pressure and removing himself from the ticket, like those who created the scandal would have wanted, Richard Nixon delivered a n impeccable thirty-minute speech, in which he notRead MoreThe Watergate Scandal Essay example1189 Words   |  5 Pagesconstitutional crisis which broke out in 1972 during the presidential reign of Richard Nixon, remains a mysterious happening even today. Some details, people, events, degrees of involvement, and reasons are still unresolved. But what began as a third-rate burglary on June 17, 1972 escalated into a full- blown scandal that had a resounding effect on how many Americans viewed the government of their country. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Richard Nixon’s presidency and Watergate triggered a first-rate national scandalRead MoreAmerican History: The Vietnam War1670 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Nixon Wins By Thin Margin† read the front page of the New York Times on Thursday November 7th, 1968, two days after Election Day. Richard Nixon won about 4 times the margin he lost to John F. Kennedy in 1960. The craziness that occurred during the election went hand in hand with the chaos of 1968. In this election, there were three candidates: Richard Nixon of the Republican Party, Hubert Humphrey of the Democratic Party, and George Wallace of the American Independent Party. The candidates did notRead MoreRichard Milhouse Nixon Essay1060 Words   |  5 PagesRichard Milhouse Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon was born to Frank and Hannah Nixon on January 9, 1913. He was the second eldest son of five sons and was born and raised in Yorba Linda, California. His father worked as a jack of all trades until buying a family operated store where Richard worked as a child. Hannah Nixon taught Richard to read young, and by age five he was solidly progressing in the three Rs. Throughout school Richard was always among the top of his class and upon graduationRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs1539 Words   |  7 Pages On June 17th, 1971, President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be â€Å"America’s Public Enemy #1† in a press conference in which he called for an â€Å"all out offensive† against this enemy, an initiative that would later be known as America’s War on Drugs. By giving this speech, thus starting â€Å"The War on Drugs,† President Nixon created what would eventually become one of the most catastrophic failures in United State s political history. Analysis of the historical events surrounding Nixon’s declarationRead MoreRichard Nixon Essay628 Words   |  3 PagesRichard Nixon History will inevitably forgive Richard Nixon. Despite his obvious unlawful mistakes, he made a good president. Until 1968, most Americans saw Richard Nixon as a political has-been, a dour pre-McCarthy hunter of Communists. In 1968, however, Nixon won the Presidency by presenting himself as a healer of divisions. He demonstrated that he had greater ability to reinvent himself than any other modern politician. More than any other figure between the death of Franklin D. RooseveltRead MorePlan of Investigation 1501631 Words   |  7 PagesKissinger’s, and in a broader range, Richard Nixon administration’s diplomacy with China. Summary of Evidence 695 In the first two decades of the postwar period, U.S-Soviet relations were characterized by many fits and starts. The relationship between the three nations of the US, the SU, and the PRC were tepid, with no real inclination in establishing amity among themselves. Prior to the Nixon administration, direct communication with the People’s Republic of China was very limited, with closed meetingsRead MoreThe American Role During The Vietnam War Still Sparks Much Debate Today1390 Words   |  6 PagesThe American role in the Vietnam War still sparks much debate today. There is a sharp focus on the Americans role in the Vietnam War because of the tragic end for the South Vietnamese. The United States faced much criticism world wide through literature during the war that continued after the war ended in 1975. The American governments reasoning for getting involved was to prevent the spread of communism in South Vietnam and to essentially prevent the domino effect. South Vietnam ha d no hope of winning

Sects Cults and Catholic Church free essay sample

The Seventh Day Adventists A sect is a religious group with controversial beliefs, they are groups that break away from a main group/religion and form their own set of beliefs, which differ from the teachings of their parent group. Sects also reject the authority of their parent group. The Seventh Day Adventists is an example of a group that broke away from their parent religions of Millerite Movement and Christianity, to become a sect. New York was the home of the 1840s Millerite movement; Millerites were followers of he teachings of William Miller who prophesied the second coming of Jesus Christ to Earth on the 22nd October 1844. When Jesus did not appear on this day the Millerites dissolved, however from the ashes of one movement came the next as the Seventh Day Adventists arose from the disbanded Millerites. The Seventh Day Adventist Church was officially founded in 1863 and the four founding fgures were Joseph Bates, James White, Ellen G. We will write a custom essay sample on Sects Cults and Catholic Church or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page White and J. N. Andrews. The Church quickly became popular and began to spread worldwide, reaching the shores of New Zealand in the 1880s only shortly after its official establishment back in the States. Today the Seventh Day Adventist Church boasts over 16 million members globally and is the twelfth largest religious body in the world.

Jamaica free essay sample

As the plane lands, I look out the window to see a poor excuse of a runway; it was a deserted wasteland. I had been to Jamaica before but only the tourist section of Ocho Rios, my only experience was getting off a cruise ship onto a bus and then climbing up a waterfall followed by getting back on the bus and going back to the cruise ship. There was no interaction with the locals other than the ones working at the waterfalls we climbed. As I returned my attention to the runway I looked to the mountain, we landed in Montego Bay one of the largest tourist locations for people in Jamaica, but as I looked you could not tell. There were unfinished houses, houses that were crumbling all over the top of the mountains. â€Å"AMEN!† said the congregation as I snapped back to reality. I was at church like most Sundays I was daydreaming about Jamaica. Timbereidge Presbyterian Church – a church I have been going to since I was 5 – was nothing compared to the services in Jamaica. The excitement and the amazing tunes the congregation sang as they danced to Praise the Lord, it was not anywhere close to what I was used to experiencing. As everyone settled down to listen to the preacher’s thirty-minute monotone sermon, I began to daydream again. It was apparent at customs that what we were doing in Jamaica had never been done before. Besides myself and five others (Coach McCullers, Savannah Hembree, Buddy Norton, Coach TAG, and Doodle) sat in customs for what seemed like an eternity as the workers tried to figure out if our supplies (basketballs, t-shirts, shoes, and jerseys) were to be sold or like we were arguing, to be given away to under privileged girls. After we were finished with customs, we loaded a bus with people we did not know to make a four-hour bus ride to our final destination Mandeville, Jamaica. Needless to say I was the odd person out. I being a Presbyterian had not been â€Å"saved†. I had been confirmed. I do not deny my faith, I believe in Him, but after hearing the views of my fellow Christians that I was accompanying on the trip, I did not tell anyone my position. Coach TAG a belligerent Christian who thought that if you were not a Christian you were going straight to h***. In my opinion, it is God’s choice who goes to h*** and who does and not her. She began to get on my nerves little by little. It may have just been me, but she would say little things like â€Å"she is not a Christian, if she was she wouldn’t have charged us for our basketballs.† She was always insinuating that she was better than everyone because of her position and how she followed Christ. In never dawned on me until this point in times how some Christians assumed that the way they lived there lives were better than others. I only confined a little bit of what I thought to Savannah, but I kept most of it to myself. Finally I fell asleep as we started our way up the mountains. When I woke up we were at the compound. It was a very pleasant area, but I couldn’t see everything because it was already 10:30 and I was very tired. When we went to the dorms, I was shocked to see that there were so many people my age, we ended up sharing a one room bunk house with 16 other girls and their mothers. The shower room to say the least would do, except for the fact of only having cold water, which I got used to by the end of the week. When I finished with my shower, I made my bed and as soon as I laid my head down I was out like a light. The next day (Saturday) we had a free day to prepare for the beginning of the week because Sunday we had church. Savannah and I were surprised to see other groups along with our own at the camp.. A group from Miami, Florida and a group from North Carolina were the groups that we spent the most time. We spent all day playing basketball on the court they had and preparing for the next day. When Sunday arrived, we woke up and ate br eakfast in the mess hall, to my dislike we had to wear skirts anywhere outside the compound (with the exception of our group, who, during the day worked on basketball skills). The church we attended was next to May Day High School, which is where we conducted are basketball camp. It was the poorest area in Mandeville, but the people there were amazing. The church service was wonderful, and the singing, the singing was the most magnificent sound I had ever heard. The way their accents blended with the music was fantastic. The way the service was held was nothing compared to the drone of the Presbyterian Church I was use to attending. It was an exhilarating experience that I will never forget. At first I was timid but as the week grew on, I became more at ease with my feelings because I became used to my surroundings. The girls at the camp were amazing, Sesquia, Chrissy, Paula, Mona, Danielle, and many more would be there in the morning before camp, and would wave as we left in the afternoon. We would play games and relays but at the same time we would teach them the fundamentals and they loved it. Men and women would stand along the side of the court and encourage girls as they competed, which was really uplifting. One day a fight broke out between two men when one walked on the court and would not get off. After we asked him politely another man came to our aid and asked him to get off the court because he was disrespecting us. Words changed to actions and eventually both men were on the ground. Luckily the man that was defending us won. At night when we came back for the service they would still be there to greet us and come to the service with us. The services were held in a tent and Brother Buddy woud preach about how having the Lord in your life was the best feeling. We had the same routing there everyday get up, eat breakfast, coach basketball, go back and eat lunch and chill until it was time to go back to the tent. I slowly began to change throughout the week. For one thing I said my first every prayer out loud (in front of people other than my family). I was so nervous, but Doodle said I did a really good job, and she was a blunt and honest person so I believed her. The last night was the most unforgettable, I did things I never thought I would get caught dead doing. I was dancing and singing along with my new favorite song. â€Å" I feel like Running, Skipping, and Praising the Lord†. During the song they kept repeating the words I feel like â€Å"runnin† which had a motion of running in place, the girls from the camp started a very unorganized conga line which ran all the way around the tent and all of us teenagers and all of the children joined in the festivities. Even Brother Buddy joined in the festivities and grabbed me t o dance with him right in the middle of the tent. I had done nothing of the sort in my life at church before, I would be out of place at my church, but there it did not matter. That night for the final time that week we prayed the pray he always did, asking us to except Christ into our life’s. He would ask you to pray the prayer silently, then raise your hand when you prayed it, followed by standing up and walking towards the front of the congregation to stand with him. He had said the prayer at basketball meetings, and at camp but I never stood up and I never will stand. While there I med a boy named Drew form Fort Myers, Florida, and we became good friends and we would sit and talk about anything and everything. He was an extremely deep person, and he knew we understood each other. So that last night while we were talking I asked him a question. â€Å"What do you want to do when you get older?† I asked. He thought a minute and then responded â€Å" I would like to go to college at Miami and become a doctor in sports medicine, but..† he trailed of as to ponder what he was going to say next and I was eager to hear his answer. I asked â€Å"What?† he just looked at me. He finally said, â€Å"That is what I would like to do, and maybe one day I will, but right now my life is in the hands of God, and there’s nothing I can do about it.† That when it hit me like a ball flying at my face during practice and hitting it square on the cheek. It sunk in deeper than anyone of Brother Buddy’s sermons or that prayer that I had memorized by then. I finally realized that my life was in God’s hands and even though I believed in Him I still did things that should not be done by a God loving person, even though God forgives. Before that statement I had my life planned out for me: Go to college, major in history and minor in philosophy, followed by attending law school to become a corporate lawyer. I wanted to do all those things, but God would be giving me other chances to fulfill my life, even if it may not be my dream. I had been there for six days and of those six days no ones words had sunk in better than those of a 17-year-old high school student. Drew touched me that night like no other person had before. That night I did not say that silly prayer, but I just decided that I wanted God to be in my life more that he already was. After that moment I felt no different, just extremely glad about discovering something that discovering that took 15 years to sink in, that what really mattered was having God in my life. I laughed at myself afterwards, so many people had told others and me how we needed God in our lives, but it was a 17-year-old that did it for me. Not the preachers, not the adults, or the beautiful little girls who touched my life forever but ironically a boy only a year older than me; it was completely astounding. I accepted it though, but I have not told anybody my decision not even my best friend Savannah whose heart was already devoted to God. I went on that trip to help others wit h basketball not push them to devote their lives to Christ. What I ended up doing was devoting my life to God and to follow him, and do whatever he asks me to do, and I accept that and I am not afraid to do what He wants me to do.