Our Students have returned!!!

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Our Students shared with us some of here experience in the write up below.   It is really wonderful.  Please take a moment to read all that they experienced.. 

“It was such an amazing experience!! Thank you all so much for giving us such an amazing opportunity! The projects that we ended up doing were installing water pipes in a small village, and rejuvenating an elementary school (painting, putting up new walls, and installing an awning over the outdoor play area). It was so wonderful to work with the locals and be able to provide them with something so crucial. It was remarkable to see how excited they were to get access to water, something we so often take for granted. When we arrived in Peru, the first thing we were told was never to ingest any of the water that was not provided to us. This meant that we could not use tap water to brush our teeth, eat vegetables washed with unclean water, and be careful not to drink any water from the showers. Despite all of the precautions we had to take, it was remarkable to see how excited the people of the village were to have access to any form of water.”

“When we finally got the pipes installed, and the water flowed from the spigots we put in, there was a huge celebration. Even though the water wasn't clean, the children started splashing in it and the adults from the village ran their hands through it in delight and relief. One woman, Sonya, made me and Kaila beautiful jewelry as a thank-you gift for being willing to help her and her community. Despite coming from such different backgrounds, there was always a sense of connection and mutual appreciation present with every person I interacted with. The trip served as a beautiful reminder that in every person, in every corner of the world, there will always be some form of goodness.” 

“We spent part of our day on Sunday attending a graduation for Eagle Condor's self-reliance classes. It was truly incredible to see how many people were able to be touched by these classes. It was breathtaking to see the variety of people graduating, from men to women, young to elderly. The most astonishing part of it, in my eyes, was how supportive everyone was of each other. Whenever a person would receive their certificate, the entire crowd would cheer for them. It was a privilege to be able to be present to witness the overwhelming sense of pride that filled the room.”

“Pride was something that was present in every corner of the trip. In the courtyard of the school, where parents lined up to receive toothbrushes and toothpaste for their family, there was pride. They were proud of their school, and proud of each other for showing up to improve it. There was pride in the women as they helped us finish the walls, laughing as they got covered in the white paint. There was pride in Cusco, in the street artists showing off their work. There was pride in our group, as we all worked together and made connections that will hopefully last for years to come. The feelings that I felt while on the trip are some I am not sure I will ever feel in exactly the same way again. It was so incredible to be able to be so close to locals and to my fellow youth, and I already miss those emotions. I cannot thank the alumni enough for allowing us to know how incredible the expeditions are. “ 

“It was such an amazing experience!! Thank you all so much for giving us such an amazing opportunity! “ 

Kez (Callista) Zimmerman.  "I want at least one person to think back to a time when they were helped by one of my services and be inspired to do the same for others; one act of kindness will often inspire another. I hope that through my work, I create a chain reaction of people being willing to expand their opinions beyond what they were raised to believe. I try to accomplish this through my articles and through my interactions with others. I want people to realize how good it feels to help other people and be friends with people who come from different backgrounds and experiences. I truly believe that the solution to a majority of the problems facing our world and our nation could be solved through basic kindness to others and an agreement to work together."  

 Hello, my name is Kaila. 

"I'm a junior at Kearns high school. Right now I’m a peer tutor for Ms.Nelsons class. Helping these kids, whether it’s learning how to read or how to do math, it really brightens my day seeing the smiles on their face’s when they learn something new. My aspirations for the future are to continue to help my community.  I am so beyond grateful to have been awarded this opportunity and to get some insight on how I can really help the less fortunate.   I am going for the Peru trip. I am super excited!"