Hannah Shepard

From Tennessee to Haiti, Hannah Shepard is a missionary worker. It might be from organizing a toy store for families in poverty to handing out free snacks, not even knowing if there’s enough for those who paid for it. She enjoys reading, playing the piano, knitting, and being able to be outside. Shepard went to Hidden Valley, goes to Cave Spring United Methodist Church, and plans on going to Duke University this coming fall after returning from her mission trip in Chile. After this year Shepard would love to be able to keep a job including mission work.

Ms. Shepard looks for the positive in everything and never judges too quickly. She waits to find something better in the process. She said, “At first, I was very sad. I missed home, I missed feeling comfortable, but then I’ve learned that I like to be uncomfortable because it tests you and it makes you stronger.” Coming home from a mission was also hard because Hannah wanted everyone to understand when she got home. “When you come home nobody understands what you’ve done and it’s frustrating, I could tell you everything that I did and the people that I met but nobody from home really understands what I’ve experienced and how that’s changed me and my outlook on life. But it’s also a really cool thing because it’s such a personal experience and that I have a world of friends and relationships in Tennessee, Haiti, and at home, but it’s also really hard because I want everybody that I love here to understand everything I did on the mission but they just don’t,” she said. Ms. Shepard is very loving and giving. She always wants to help others anyway she can. She told a story about how they were holding a biking event and they had food for them at the end. Some other people were really hungry and asked for food. They gave it to them and many more people came over asking for some. She said, “All these people kept coming and we didn’t turn anybody away.”

Hannah Shepard is an amazing person. She is very dedicated, optimistic, and selfless. She has put aside part of her life to help those in need. Ms. Shepard’s hard work and dedication makes her a hidden hero.