Eric Wooldridge 06
Notre Dame, IN
Notre Dame, IN
Service: Teaching and assisting at orphanage
| A view of Petrolina |
Eric served in Brazil upon his return attended a Lutheran Seminary.
"I got a thorough education from the orphan boys that I
worked with in Brazil. Theirs is a fun-loving culture that
does not allow for too much regret over one’s life
situation.
Here at the re-entry I am remembering what it was like to leave those boys and
the other friends that I made five months ago. The experience is a story that I
cannot forget, and this re-entry gave me the important opportunity to share
that story with others."
Message while he was in mission:
Things are going very well here at Petrape. I give English classes two times a
week for the older kids. Many of them are eager to learn. I feel useful here,
and I think that the classes are a reasonable addition to my schedule.
I didn´t expect to be part of a team of so many volunteers. Currently there are
10 of us. Just the same, the challenges that I face on a daily basis with the kids
are exactly the challenges that I anticipated. I think that kids are generally the
same no matter what culture they grow up in.
The kids in the community are exactly as I had hoped they would be. They are
loving, patient with my language barrier, and very friendly. I spend most of
each day with them, during both school time and free time in the evenings. I
came with the intention of integrating myself into the community as much as
possible.
The biggest rewards in my work here are the relationships that I get a chance
to form with the kids, especially with the older ones. Some of them are very
hesitant to open up to any type of authority figure, so it´s been very rewarding
to see them open up to me.
"I got a thorough education from the orphan boys that I
worked with in Brazil. Theirs is a fun-loving culture that
does not allow for too much regret over one’s life
situation.
Here at the re-entry I am remembering what it was like to leave those boys and
the other friends that I made five months ago. The experience is a story that I
cannot forget, and this re-entry gave me the important opportunity to share
that story with others."
Message while he was in mission:
Things are going very well here at Petrape. I give English classes two times a
week for the older kids. Many of them are eager to learn. I feel useful here,
and I think that the classes are a reasonable addition to my schedule.
I didn´t expect to be part of a team of so many volunteers. Currently there are
10 of us. Just the same, the challenges that I face on a daily basis with the kids
are exactly the challenges that I anticipated. I think that kids are generally the
same no matter what culture they grow up in.
The kids in the community are exactly as I had hoped they would be. They are
loving, patient with my language barrier, and very friendly. I spend most of
each day with them, during both school time and free time in the evenings. I
came with the intention of integrating myself into the community as much as
possible.
The biggest rewards in my work here are the relationships that I get a chance
to form with the kids, especially with the older ones. Some of them are very
hesitant to open up to any type of authority figure, so it´s been very rewarding
to see them open up to me.
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| "Experiencing, Sharing Life in Christ" |
Volunteers International for Development Education Solidarity