Mission in Southern Brazil: the transformative experience of student volunteers

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship among volunteering, meaning in life, and suffering, based on Viktor Frankl’s theory. It focuses on the experience of 41 university student volunteers who served in areas affected by the floods in Rio Grande do Sul in June 2024 through a project of the Adventist University Center of São Paulo – UNASP, in the city of Porto Alegre. The study assumes that volunteering, by enabling experiences of self-transcendence, can contribute to overcoming the existential vacuum and strengthening resilience in the face of suffering. Data were produced through questionnaires (with open- and closed-ended questions) based on the principles of Logotherapy, addressing topics such as motivation, suffering, and meaning in life. A Discussion Group was also conducted to deepen and validate the results. Data analysis followed the criteria of Prose Analysis, a qualitative approach focused on subjective aspects. The results indicate that volunteer involvement enabled students to reframe suffering, increasing empathy and their sense of purpose. Many reported that small actions had a major emotional impact, both on those receiving assistance and on themselves. In addition, volunteering fostered a sense of belonging and existential meaning. Challenges were also identified, however, including emotional strain in the face of the extreme vulnerability encountered.