Inspiring Children in Peru

I loved my experience volunteering at La Comunidad de Niños Sagrada Familia in Peru. Sagrada Familia is a community that ministers to the homeless and abandoned street children in Lima, Cuzco and other places in Peru. It provides them with food, education, safety, homes, medical care and, above all, love. The children come from difficult backgrounds but I have never in my life experience such love and caring.

The community is based in a compound in the middle of a very poor neighborhood to the north of Lima. The poverty can be a bit shocking, but the compound itself is very safe and the local people were very warm and welcoming. Sagrada Familia is a relatively new partner for Global Volunteers and while we were there they were still discussing ways the volunteers who visit can help the community, but there is no question that we made a difference. As Miguel, the community founder noted, just the fact that we came to see them is inspiring to the children. I split my time between helping construct new classrooms and teaching English to a sixth grade class. The hand made thank you cards I received from the class when I left are something I continue to treasure.

We volunteers stayed in the nearby seaside resort town of Ancón in a comfortable family run hotel. It was the off season, so things in town were relatively quiet, but the food was excellent and we were well taken care of.

Global Volunteer begins all their trips with a day of training to help the group get to know each other and understand what kind of experience they can expect as volunteers in the community. I really appreciate the values of community partnership and service that they bring to their programs. This was my fifth trip with Global Volunteers and it was by far my favorite and the most rewarding. I will be going back.