From Japan to Peru

According to Webster’s dictionary, a volunteer is… just kidding. But in all seriousness, I never thought my life would fit my presumed mold of an international volunteer. I’m a 28-year-old military wife with an established nursing career and 2-year-old son, living in Japan. Despite my momentously blessed life, something was still missing. Enter Seeds of Hope.

For the last two weeks, I woke up each morning to the noisy city of Huaraz, took in the breathtaking mountain views while strolling to breakfast, and returned to Seeds for the morning session. For a few hours, I’d help some teens with their various homework and practice conversing with them in Spanish. Later, the volunteers and I would break for lunch and enjoy the local food at one of the many cafes nearby. By mid-afternoon, the younger children would arrive at Seeds and spend time on their homework. Afterwards, we’d provide a snack and spend time playing. This all sounds so standardized, but each of my days here stood out in its own uniqueness as I developed relationships with the kids each day.

Let me tell you: these kids are something else. That’s the only way to describe it. They’re so silly, energetic, and inquisitive. The girls would spend hours watching videos of my son and the boys constantly asked me to translate their Spanish into Japanese. Due to my attachments and self-admitted “mom guilt”, I could only spend two short weeks with these kids. Though the time flew by (you know what they say about having fun), these two weeks have been so monumentally fulfilling in every way.

If something is missing in your life, you might just find it here at Seeds of Hope. Meanwhile, you’ll provide children and teens with a much-needed professor, role model, and friend. If you can’t donate your time, please consider a financial donation (of any size!) to help support these kids in their conquest of obtaining an education and breaking the cycle of poverty. You won’t regret it!