I need to do this. And I need your help.
I will be volunteering for 4 weeks this July at a daycare in Surin, Thailand. I’ll be working in a Temple, helping the Monks there, take care of children who come from impoverished families. Volunteering abroad is something I have always wanted to do. For the past 10 years I’ve dreamed of going to Africa, or some other place just as foreign, and offering myself, my time, my talents, my skills or abilities - whatever I can, to help those who need it. I want to make a difference, no matter how small.
In the past, I’d always imagined my help would be limited to being used as an extra set of hands doing some type of manual labor, building houses or schools. And the thought of that truly excited and inspired me. But a few months ago I found the Starfish organization, and this situation in particular, really caught my interest.
The idea that I’d be working with kids immediately spoke to my heart. I’ve been a nanny for 16 years and children are such an important part of my life. Everyday I feel incredibly blessed to live where I do and to earn a living doing something I LOVE. The children I take care of are all so wonderful that it’s made me realize that I want to pursue it as a career. To that end, I’ve recently gone back to school to get a degree in early education. I’m hopeful that the knowledge I gain from this volunteer experience will be immense and will also look great on a resume or university/scholarship application. Please take a minute to browse around the Starfish website for more info. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I’m extremely excited about taking this journey. The more I imagine helping, teaching and playing with the children in Surin, the more I plan, the more I talk with my friends and family about it, the more it just feels so right. This has always been a part of my destiny. It will be such an amazing and life changing experience for me personally and will hopefully make a difference to the lives of a few deserving kids as well.
All together, I’m estimating this trip will cost me about 4 grand (organization fee, airfare, food, expenses, LA rent & bills for July, etc.). This is where the help from you comes in :) I simply cannot come up with all of the necessary funds myself. But a wise person once told me to never let “not having the money” stand in the way of something I need to do. So I’m hoping that even during this rough economic time, a few of you might be able to help me help some wonderful Thai children. Anything you are able to give will help greatly; the US dollar goes a long way in Thailand!
