Testimonials From Volunteer Summer 2007
“My experience in Uganda this past summer truly solidified both my interest in international development and my commitment to social justice. Beliefs of mine prior to this trip were simultaneously strengthened and dismantled. This experience has profoundly impacted my sense of global poverty and of myself. These are both equally important as they allow me to better serve those in need. I am now more aware of the myriad challenges regarding work in developing countries and I am eager to study how to overcome these challenges and efficiently produce long-lasting results.”
Rachel Karbowitz, Uganda
“Though I had heard stories about what poverty is in other countries, I was not prepared and could not have imagined what I saw. Through AJWS' program I now feel a stronger tie to global justice and the global community. While working hands-on in the Likpe Mate community and studying about our Jewish obligation to this community and the global one, I felt motivated to create more of an impact when I returned home. Now that I am home … every situation makes me think about this summer. I relate everything back to how we lived, and what we saw. This summer affected me to create change, something I hope to and will pass on to others.”
Sarah Pearlman-Shapiro, Ghana
“I first would like to thank those who made this summer possible for me. This trip has shown me the challenge of development work and its value. I have learned that interacting with another culture takes so much work. Looking beyond oneself is a task that cannot simply be enacted by choice, but one that takes immersion in another culture and personal initiative to properly understand that goal. This summer has provided me with the opportunity both to explore my Judaism on a deeper level, as well as to explore myself in my relationship to the world around me. There is no better way to understand another people than to work together with them on a shared vision, and this trip provided me with the opportunity to discover that firsthand.”
Azriel Grysman, Thailand
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire volunteer summer staff for shipping me off to Honduras and putting me at the center of positive social justice field work. I am forever changed. My eyes have been opened to the personal struggles of others, and I have been empowered to take action. Because of this experience, I have become more compassionate to the hardships facing millions of people around the world. I am ready to begin the rest of my life as an activist for social change.”
Lindsay Berman, Honduras
