Miami University

Ambassadors for Children

The AFC Experience

Some Words From Our Ambassadors

What was the most profound thing you learned on this trip?

– Every place that we went was filled with love. From the orphanages and villages, to the schools and hospital, theses children touched your heart in immeasurable ways. When you hear their stories about how they live and what they have endured, it is truly unbelievable how they continue to smile. I think we can all learn from them. I went on this trip with every intention of helping a child feel loved… I could not have guessed just how much they would do the same for me.

Describe a "peak" moment you will always remember.

I will always remember the first village that we went to. I was giving fluoride treatments to the children there. There were calm and grateful, and I knew at that moment I was a part of something great. And it had just begun.

Give a word of advice to a future AFC El Salvador participant.

Savor it because it once the week is over, you will want nothing but to go back. And also, bring a box of crackers and a lot of power bars!

--Marissa Hirsh, El Salvador 2007

What was the most profound thing you learned on this trip?

Children, in spite of their impoverished conext and experiences, have the undeniable, inexplicable, almost innante capacity to put a smile on their and your face. This ability stems from their immense curiousity, compassion, and freedom. I believe these characteristics of children have much to teach us as adults who often constrain our world with roles and expectations, and I believe a more "child-like" approach to life may help all become more loving, free, and ultimately, human.

Describe a "peak" moment you will always remember.

During our party in the GI ward of the children's hospital, I fondly remember putting a smile on one girl's distraught face. Her simple change of perspective showed me that the building of even simple relationships can make a world of difference.

Give a word of advice to a future AFC El Salvador participant.

Let the experience of working with the children innudate your mind and feelings throughout the week. Please don't take the potential of a GI tract infection lightly. Definitely bring some Xifaxan in case it comes knocking at your door.

--Brian Ludwin, El Salvador 2007

From Nancy Hoffmann, Belize 2007:

Being a part of Ambassadors for Children and having the opportunity to work with children and teachers in San Pedro was eye-opening and life-changing for me. While I have traveled to many parts of the world and have taught in public schools in the United States for many years, I have never experienced a place like Belize. When we first arrived, one of our goals was to paint a school building that was in desperate need of repair and paint. While working, several children came by (it was a holiday for them and no school was in session) and wanted to help with something. We decided that we would work together to clean up the playground—a dusty, dirt lot that was littered with all kinds of trash and debris. We quickly got to work and before an hour passed we collected over 5 huge bags of litter. What is a lasting memory from this day is not the trash but the eagerness of the children to be a part of the work and their openness to us—outsiders who they didn't know at all.

At the same school the next day, I witnessed nearly 1200 students piling into the schoolhouse built for 600 students, all neatly dressed in their uniforms and eager to learn. The flood of children in the morning was San Pedro's “morning rush hour” where it was obvious that going to school was a privilege, not a burden. At another school I noted the same thing-- children walked, rode bikes, or got to school in whatever way they could (there are nearly no cars on San Pedro) with many having to travel for several miles each day, each way. This school was recently built for the extra children who could not be accommodated in the much-overcrowded schoolhouse in the heart of San Pedro. This school was built on donated land and sits upon stilts in a marshy, trash-filled swamp at the far end of town. I was so disturbed by the surrounding environment upon arrival; however, I was quickly taken in by the beautiful children attending school. Again, all were neatly dressed in uniforms and very focused on the activities in the classroom.

During a snack break while getting slices of oranges from their teacher, so many children would just wrap their arms around my legs and hug me. Others quickly gathered around a Miami student who was teaching spelling words on the porch. As I later thought about their reaction to us, I realized that they had no idea that we were bringing them books, school supplies, and hygiene kits. These things had been passed along to the headmaster of the school without the children knowing about it. It wasn't about material things at all—it was about human connections. We all have a need to connect with others and to share in the experience of life. These children, as young as they were, reminded me of this very important life lesson. We may have been able to take some supplies to Belize , but what I brought back has renewed my sense of “wide-awakeness” and helped me to grow as a human being.

How Do I Learn More?

Visit www.ambassadorsforchildren.org or call toll free at (888) 338-3468.

Ambassadors for Children · 3620 N. Washington Blvd. · Indianapolis , IN 46205