I n
ever ex
pected that I would spend a week of my summer vacation in El Salvador. In fact, before the trip, I did not know anything about the country except for its name. But after volunteering there, the words “El Salvador” are no longer just a name, but a representation of an unforgettable life experience.
When we, Care To Help volunteers, arrived at the airport, I was surprised at how the city was fairly modern. It was bustling with cars, chain restaurants, tall buildings, billboards, and people. The capital was nice, however, it does not accurately represent the country.
What our group saw outside of cities and towns were people living very bare lifestyles. People who were not near any town of some sort had no electricity or plumbing. It was not uncommon for people to live in homes made out of metal sheets and an assortment of other materials. In order to help a family that lived in such a house, Care To Help and Techo worked together to wax, build, and roof a wooden house for the family. This was a new experience for me and while it was tiring, it was rewarding to see not only the finished house, but also the happiness and appreciation of the family’s children. As their mother does not come home often, a good house will help them live safer.
While building the house was one of the most interesting activities we did in El Salvador, what I most vividly remember is our visit to Sonsonate School. This is a school that Care2Help donated 15,000 books, and $2,000 to a year ago. Every time I think back about our visit to the school, I am overwhelmed by the memories of the lively and sparkling faces of the students. Before this visit, I had never seen such genuine and innocent happiness in any school I have been to. The innocence and cheer that we saw in the youth symbolized hope for the future. It was the smiles of the students that made me think, “We are making a difference.”
I experienced a lot of new activities and events in El Salvador with Care To Help Foundation. I was able to see true appreciation and the purest form of hope within many El Salvadorans multiple times. The priceless memories that I experienced, and lessons that I learned will be with me for life. And that is truly priceless.
– Jim Tang, Whippany High School
2014年夏季去萨尔瓦多扶贫的经历让我终身难忘。在出发之前，我除了知道“萨尔瓦多”的国名以外，对这个中南美洲的国家一点儿都不了解。不过，当我去到那里参与志愿工作以后，“萨尔瓦多”对我已不再只是一个国家的名字，而是一段终身难忘的经历。
刚到达机场时，我很惊讶于这个城市的现代化。高速公路上熙熙攘攘的汽车，街道上的连锁餐饮店，高大的建筑物，无处不在的广告牌，还有那穿着整齐的人们。但是在后来的几天里，当我们运送救援物资到其他城市，医院和偏远地区时，我发现萨尔瓦多的首都并不能准确地代表这个国家。
我们看到在首都以外的人们，过着非常贫穷简陋的生活。住在山区的人，没有电和饮用水，在烂铁皮和破木头搭建的棚子里。这种棚子，下雨的时候到处漏水。屋子里什么都没有，只有一个简单的炉子。为了让这些家庭能有一个遮风避雨的房子，我们与当地的TECHO义工们共同努力，用水泥和结实的铁皮，以及木材来构建房子。在炎热的夏天，直射的太阳底下盖房，汗如雨下，这对我来说是一种全新的体验。虽然又热又累，可是为了让这些母亲在外打工不常回家的孩子们住进一个像样的房子，我觉得这是值得的。看着他们期待的目光和看到新房子时快乐的欢呼，我觉得自己在做一件很了不起的事情。这房子使孩子们有了一个安全的家。
除了与“TECHO”合作建屋，我们在萨尔瓦多还走访了十几个城镇和偏远的山区，为那里的人们送衣物，食品，轮椅，药品，甚至电脑。我记得最清楚的是我们到松索纳特学校送书。好心人基金会从2000年起，与美国的Contextos非营利机构合作，将15,000本各方募得的书籍运送到萨尔瓦多的学校，并协助学校建立图书馆。现在，每当我回想起那一张张活泼而带着希望之光的脸蛋，仍能让我打从心里的感动。在他们的纯真的笑脸和发自内心深处的欢呼声中，也看到了他们对未来的期望。那些真情流露的笑容让更我感受到，我们所做的这些是可能让他们有一个不一样的未来的。
那一个星期的时间，我经历了很多在美国从未经历过的事情。在那里，我们一天之内可以建成一座房子，可以把从美国募到的衣物和萨国义工们准备的发放食品送到很多真正需要的人手中，把轮椅送给残疾的人，把热食送给无家可归游民。在一次次的发放中，我看到的是人们脸上流露出纯真的感激和希望之光。
Care To Help Foundation 的“萨尔瓦多送暖”之旅经历，将会是伴随我一生的无价之宝。
– 义工 唐睿，美国新泽西州Whippany 高中