I've always thought that if you studied something hard enough, you could make up for not actually experiencing it. I was even convinced that those looking in from the outside had the more accurate perspective, but on a recent trip to an orphanage in Tijuana I learned the importance of gaining an inside view.

It was probably the nicest orphanage in North America. Some people from San Diego renovated a warehouse and turned it into a two-story safe haven in the middle of the Tijuana tourist district.

A large chandelier highlighted by a Christian cross awkwardly floating in the middle greets visitors in the entryway. Bright walls turn the grand entryway into something as unique and colorful as the market streets outside.

I've heard countless stories about miserable orphaned children in Third World countries. Many young girls choose prostitution and boys become drug dealers. Orphaned children's futures are usually quite grim, but that wasn't the shocking part of my trip.

What surprised me was the help the orphanage wanted from my group. Being stuck on the outside, one often focuses on the orphans' obvious needs: food, shelter, education, clean water, protection, etc.

But the workers didn't ask for much physical labor — they just wanted us to play with the children. I think the reason orphans struggle most is not that they haven't found food but because they need attention and love.

No one teaches the little girls that it's not OK for men to abuse them, and no one teaches the boys a better way of life than to sell drugs. Orphans need people who are willing to give their time.

During InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's "Do you see orange/orphans?" rally for AIDS victims in Africa, I wanted to join the camp-out in the park. It was such a big deal that I had friends drive up from San Francisco to join in the protest.

At the time, joining the protest seemed like a decent sacrifice for improving the lives of orphans. I could see myself leaving the park full of self-righteous victory: I suffered in a cold, dirty park; therefore, I was victorious and so were the orphans.

This self-righteous perspective came crashing down when I found myself surrounded by children who would have gladly given up a meal for us to stay and play with them some more.

In rallies, we demand that governments (and any organizations big enough) write big checks to "help" the poor.

However, it's too easy to forget that although money is important, the orphans still need someone to prepare their food, to teach them how to live and to love them. They need people too.

Although I don't wish to remove the merit of an authentic protest, I've seen people pick up signs and design T-shirts because it's fashionable. To me, that's as senseless as people who strictly eat organic foods because they have fewer toxins and then get wasted every weekend. It's all about trends and being cool, not about the issue at hand: "Wait until my buddies see my anti-Bush T-shirt. It's got a little green devil and everything."

From the outside, the rally was a huge success. I'm sure they raised plenty of support, but looking from inside the orphanage, the rally itself wasn't much more than a really nice encouragement letter.

Hundreds of people turned out, but all of their valiant self-induced suffering could not even compete with change one person would make by spending a mere summer in Uganda, feeding and playing with the children.

I think most college campuses have forgotten that protesting is useless unless people actually do something useful.

I've heard a lot of ranting about the civilian victims of the Iraq War, but I haven't heard a single person finish the conversation with, "So, I've decided to raise support and go help clean bandages in a clinic somewhere outside of Sadr City for a few months." I've heard a lot of people angry about Katrina victims, but I don't know anyone who has actually gone and helped build someone a house.

So, it only boils down to a few ideas. Learn how to act upon the things you're discussing and complaining about. That is, don't demand of others something you're unwilling to do yourself. Help support someone willing to go and clean bandages, or nominate yourself and seek support.

Most importantly, learn to look from the inside out before you take a stand. Otherwise, you'll probably miss something important.