"India Changed My Life"

From a letter received in the Global Volunteers office:

Almost ten years ago, I served on a team in India. I had just turned 18, barely graduated from high school, and headed overseas without a clue as to what I was doing. I still remember the day I heard about Global Volunteers on a morning talk show, and by that afternoon, I had decided on India simply by pointing to a spot on a globe and saying "that's the one."

We were at the orphanage on 9/11. Since that time, I've earned a Master's degree in international relations and humanitarian development; served long-term in Thailand, Cambodia, Kenya and Uganda; and conducted significant research into the issues of human trafficking in Southeast Asia. I now coordinate a social business program that empowers others to solve world issues through enterprise and microfinace projects.

My point in telling you all this is for you to know the ripple effect your work and organization has had on the world. When people ask how I've done so much at a young age, it always comes back to Global Volunteers. The spark was lit when I touched down in India, and has been burning brightly ever since. Thanks so much for what you've done for those who serve, and for those who are being served.
-Kara Brown

"Each Day Makes My Heart Sing"

I'm teaching conversational English in India.

For me, each day makes my heart sing. At the end of an especially exhausting one, a Grade 4 girl with a beautiful smile rushed in and took my hand.

"You come back, please. You are the best. My story made me happy," she beamed. She had been in my class that morning where I had the students personalize a story, then read it aloud. Her happiness made my day.

One of my assignments was with five 13-year-old boys. We played words games and wrote stories. I soon figured out that the cool dude who was the leader of the pack was an expert at appearing to know more than he did.

When I discovered that he couldn't complete his work, he quickly diverted my attention with, "You look nice, you have a nice smile". He didn't know many words, but he knew how to use them.

At the orphanage they held a touching goodbye ceremony when we completed our two weeks of service. The children sat on the floor and sang songs. Some did a dance, then they all came up to say a personal goodbye.

There was a special glow in that room and it affirmed, for me, that a volunteer vacation is the way to go. And if you are up for a real challenge, head for India. You won't regret it.
- Judy Lees, India Volunteer

Good Friends and a "Scratcher" Fulfills her Dream to Serve in Romania

There are two things people know about me: I’m turning 40 in July, and I’m passionate about volunteering. I've wanted to work with Global Volunteers for over ten years, and the timing couldn’t be more right for me personally, professionally, and spiritually.

Instead of a big birthday celebration, I’ve signed up to volunteer in Romania at the Tutova Clinic caring for infants and children who were abandoned or given up.

In order to do so, I had to raise $2,495 for my one week service, plus pay for my airfare. I was concerned that asking for donations from friends and family would be difficult given the economy, but they pulled through and I was lucky enough to meet my goal months before my service date!

My last concern was the airfare. Like so many others, the economy has hit me as well. I've been furloughed and have lost 7% of my salary and hit with other financial set backs. I'm trying hard to keep my credit card debt down, but ended up charging $938 for the airline ticket to Romania. I had $225 in extra donations that I was putting towards the flight, but still had to come up with the $700.

While in Phoenix Memorial Day Weekend visiting family, I decided to buy a $2.00 lottery scratcher. It ended up being a winner! When I scratched off the prize amount, I was shocked to see I had just won $777, almost the exact amount needed for the airline ticket! If that isn't the Universe being good to me, I don't know what is! Eternally grateful and heading to Romania!

Cindy Cordova

Mother and Son Serve in Romania

Delta Wichner Nuthak learned about Global Volunteers' Romania service program online, but it was her excited phone call that convinced her son Trevor to join her on the humanitarian journey. “It took me about two seconds to decide, I just couldn’t say no,” Trevor said.

Within months, mother and son travelled to Tutova to help care for underweight, disabled and abandoned babies at a Pediatric Recovery Clinic in Tutova Hospital near Barlad in east-central Romania. To nurture the infants' natural growth, Trevor and Delta played with and fed them -- basically offering love to every child in the clinic, they said.

Delta explained that the clinic is not an adoption agency, but rather a place for the children who have medical conditions and whose family can't afford to care for them. “In Romania, there are no outside adoptions. That means, in order to adopt a child in Romania, you have to be Romanian. You can’t be from another country,” she said. Many of the children in the clinic are orphans, but a small number of the children in the clinic have parents, but they are too poor to afford medical care for their child. Throughout their three weeks, Delta and Trevor became attached to each child, but they still formed favorites. “Sammy was probably my favorite. He was definitely a hair-grabber,” laughed Trevor, who also taught English language skills at the area high school.

Read more here about Trevor and Delta's Romanian Journey of the Heart. Learn more about Global Volunteers' Romania Service Program here.

Until We Meet Again

To appreciate the beauty of West Virginia, whether it be:
The rolling hills
A babbling creek
The New River Gorge
The longest single-arch steel span bridge in the Western Hemisphere
A coal mine, or
The crafts of the artists at Tamarack

To know and follow the wisdom and vision of Artie Mullins;

To find the best in others, including those “who don’t need no stinkin’ help”;

To serve as needed: to caulk, to prime, to paint;, to fix the shelf that is half an inch off; to sort the craft supplies; to scrape the gunk; to install the cabinets; to tile the floor;

To leave Beards Fork a bit better, whether by 10,000 sorted cans of food, a new food bank pantry, a semi-finished dorm, a remodeled home, or a six-year-old friend;

To remember UMBUNTU: “I am because we are.”

To hope that even one life has breathed easier because we were here.

Discovering Toddler Love in Peru

I love it here, I really do. I want to stay longer, to learn more, to continue to be pulled from my comfort zone. I miss home for sure and I will be glad to be back...but I feel like our work is far from finished here.

It is amazing how an 8 day experience has the power to change me forever. I know after a few weeks it will begin to wear off but I can only hope my heart will forever remember the time I have spent here.There is one little girl named Taliyah and a little boy named Rinaldo who have stolen my heart. Everytime they see me they run over and grab onto my legs, smiling and reaching their arms up for me to hold them. We arent allowed to rock the kids to sleep or rub their backs because the helpers dont want them to get used to it. They again, do not have enough hands when they are alone to rock 4 kids to sleep. So when we arrive after bedtime, sometimes the kids will just sit in our arms for long periods of time, nestling their faces into our shoulders and finding comfort in the feeling of someone being there for them. They will avoid all offers of toys or games because they simply long for a human touch, just for a little while. When this happens I get a little emotional, knowing that when we leave, they wont get that again until the next volunteer group comes.

There are a couple babies up for adoption in my group. One of them, Fatima, should have no problem being adopted out. Her curly hair and joyful smile are infectious as she imitates sounds and runs around in circles waiting for attention. I only hope a family will take her in soon...People have to live in Peru for about 6 months in order to adopt. So bringing back a baby is not an option for me. Its probably a good thing because if there were no restrictions I would easily leave with them. One of my teammates asked me if I am getting sick of kids yet. I easily said no and rather, I am just growing to love them more and more.Sometimes I say the Serenity Prayer when things are driving me crazy but here it takes on another meaning...God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference.I cannot change anything here in this country or at PPA. But I can change who I am and I think this trip is only the beginning.

- Ashley Dawson, Peru volunteer

It's a Small World

It is a small world. We were enjoying an ice cream on a hot day in Central Park in NYC while visiting our daughters. While relaxing on a park bench a cell phone call came in asking for a short interview about our experiences with Global Volunteers in Peru last year. My husband, Peter, and I were both part of the Lima team in Nov. 2006. While answering the interviewer's questions I couldn't believe my eyes. Coming toward us was a team member I had worked closely with in the orphanage in Lima. We cared for two small children with special needs and traveled each day by death-defying taxi to take the two to physical therapy. Suddenly there she was vacationing with friends in NYC. Big hugs and smiles and photos all around. Serendipity made for a special moment for us all and helped to renew our happy thoughts about our accomplishments in Peru and the friends we made in service with Global Volunteers.

Cheri