Current News, Field Reports and Volunteer Voices

Several times each week, we post stories about work we do in our host communities – through the voices of our partners, volunteers, and those we serve. Subscribe using the form below to receive updates in your inbox when they’re published. If you’re looking for deeper insight into service in a specific country, on a particular type of project, how you can share your unique skills or volunteering as a family or a group, you can find a wealth of information here. Use the categories next to the posts here or on any page (below right column) to explore more stories that suit your interests.

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Christmas in Cuba

Reaching Children's Potential

Change

Team Journal Entry for January 6, 2015: Yesterday Maria went to the hospital to help clean more children's ears. Jayne, Victor, and Alex went to PRS to teach conversational English for the second day. After watching Steven and Ester's…

Christmas in Cuba

Volunteer Voices China

“This is the Most Memorable International Trip We’ve Taken!”

A volunteer couple on our December program, Errett and Jack, wrote: On balance, I can’t think of a more memorable international trip that we have taken. While we have certainly enjoyed international “tour-type” trips, the past…

Christmas in Cuba

Reaching Children's Potential, Volunteer Voices

The Last Word, but not the Last Chapter

Team Journal Entry from January 2, 2015: A lot was riding on this trip to Chennai. Would I feel healthy enough to do it? Would I get sick here? Would I enjoy it as much or more than my first visit in 2012? I needn't have worried.…

Christmas day in Peru

Development Impact, Volunteer Voices Peru

Christmas Day in Peru

Christmas Day in Peru, a journal entry from a volunteer serving in Peru: “Fireworks all over the place, like you have never seen before.” That was the consensus for those of us who had never spent a Christmas Eve in Lima before. The…

Christmas in Cuba

Cultures and Traditions Cuba

Christmas in Cuba With Global Volunteers

Christmas in Cuba is very much a family-oriented holiday and gifts are not as important as spending time together. Roasted suckling pig is the traditional dish served for Christmas lunch. Parrandas – parties in the street with fireworks,…

Christmas in Cuba

Cultures and Traditions

Christmas Traditions in Romania

For Romanians Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the year and it is celebrated on the 25th of December. People need to prepare…

Christmas in Cuba

Cultures and Traditions, Volunteer Voices China

Out Exploring the History & Folk Customs of Yunnan!

Message of the Day: Even if one could live 100 years, life would be too short to explore the history and inexhaustible folk customs of Yunnan Province. Team Journal Entry: Today is a free day but one with a plan. After breakfast, we…

Christmas in Cuba

Volunteer Voices

The Start of Something Special

Messages of the Day - ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’ – Winston Churchill ‘The future depends on what we do in the present.’ – Mahatma Gandhi Team Journal entry from December 21,…

Christmas in Cuba

Volunteer Voices China

Flying tigers, Chinese Education and Dumpling Making!

Following our usual breakfast buffet, we headed to the Flying Tiger Museum, a short cab ride from our hotel. Most interesting snapshot of WW II history which we have all heard about, but knew little. The city of Kunming was the headquarters…

Christmas in Cuba

Cultures and Traditions

Mount Festival

Today, the 18th of December, is celebrated as Mount Festival. The festival is celebrated at St. Thomas Mount, Chennai. The belief is that St. Thomas, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ who lived on this Mount around 72…

Christmas in Cuba

Volunteer Voices Vietnam

Grateful for the Gift of Service!

After the first week of teaching, I have familiarized myself with the living environment and working rhythm. A typical day would consist of the following: getting up at 6:30, go for a short jog around the lake to kickstart the day; washing…

Christmas in Cuba

Volunteer Voices

Visit to St. Thomas Hospital

Message of the Day - Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity. - Hippocrates I got to see the love of medicine and humanity today when Stephen took me to St. Thomas Hospital. It was a substitute for my daily…