My Nonprofit Reviews

I spent a week this October volunteering at the El Pueblito Orphanage in Costa Rica. What an amazing journey it was! The staff were particularly accommodating and warm, not to mention a wealth of in depth knowledge about their country, it's politics, religion, attitudes, and so much more. At the orphanage we were again met with sincere welcomes by the lovely and dedicated 'Mama's' that ran each house on the premises that housed 8-12 children per house. It was clean, organized and most of all showed a common sense of respect throughout their community. The children were especially endearing as even though life had not handed them a good hand, they could smile, laugh, play, show love and accept love with us foreigners even though our Spanish was generally poor or virtually non-existent. It's amazing what body language and gestures can communicate. We also were able to paint the outside of two of the houses that needed a bit of a face lift. Some of the children came and helped us with the it and you could see their sense of accomplishment and more pride they could take in their home. One boy was amazingly meticulous for his age and did not spill a drop as he painted carefully and evenly the whole front door with me. It was as if to say, "I can help make our home better - you don't have to do it all for me!" Yeah for him and the rest of the children we got to work and play with.

The quote we left with our hand prints on the ceiling at the CCS Homebase is, "Doing nothing for others is the undoing of ourselves." - Horace Mann I like to think of it more as, "Doing good for others is the true fulfillment of our souls."

It wasn't all about giving at the orphanage. The CCS staff also handed us a hefty dose of Costa Rica culture, food, language, coffee plantations and their beautiful natural sites. I could not fight back the tears as we all said goodbye, not knowing if or when I might see them or those kids again. It was a trip of a lifetime!