A Priceless Experience

My husband and I took a little leap out of our comfort zone when we signed up for this trip. We knew we would be sacrificing to make it happen and hoped it would be worth our money. What drew our attention in the first place was the organizations focus on cultural immersion while serving there. And boy did it deliver!!! We could tell the village had been anxiously awaiting our arrival. They had prepared everything for us and even invited us to participate in their village festivities and activities. The neatest part was when we visited their homes. I didn't think they would be comfortable with us coming by, but nearly all of them knew who we were and what we were doing in their village. They warmly invited us into their homes and shared their culture with us. Some of them taught us how they weave their hammocks; some of them taught us how they make their tamales; and others simply told us about their family. We loved sharing literacy with them. Many of them expressed their gratitude for coming to their village and helping supply the resources to make a difference for their children's future. The kids greeted us at the school so enthusiastically every day for classes. I could go on and on about the amazing experience, but it was hands down 3000 times better than I could have imagined. On the opening day of the library the entire village lined up at the door to take a peek. I will never forget the looks on their faces and the light in their eyes as they picked up the books and told their friends, "I'm checking out this one first!" Worth it would be an understatement.