Sarah will be joining us on the BLOOM Voluntour in March. In preparation for her return to Lesotho, we posed these questions in which she responds below:
What made you want to go on the Voluntour?
I took my first trip to Lesotho in 2009 with a group of Wittenberg University students, and the 'Magic Mountain Kingdom' totally stole my heart. While there was great need, the happiness I saw in the children, and the selfless giving of the Basotho was overwhelming. When our bus arrived in the city, happy children ran alongside us with bright smiles on their faces. For being a country of immense poverty, it struck me how excited and happy they were. I was truly moved that first night. Our group completed many different projects around the city, including planting gardens, digging pit latrines, and painting bedrooms and orphanages. It is so rewarding to serve. Our trip lasted for a little under a month, and upon leaving, I knew that I had to go back someday. I began volunteering for BLOOM Africa the year after I graduated by hosting annual happy hour events in Beaumont and then Dallas, Texas. When I heard about the Voluntour opportunity, it wasn't even a question of whether or not I wanted to go. I emailed Andrew and said, "Where do I sign up!?"
What are some things you're excited about to experience in Lesotho?
I am most excited to interact with the children and families. It's a very freeing feeling to work alongside somebody. I am also excited to grow alongside the other BLOOM volunteers. A person experiences a lot of emotions when put in a new environment, especially an environment so completely different than where we live. I think that talking about our experiences together as a group will allow each of us to grow in our own ways.
What makes you want to serve
I've always had a heart for service. I went on my first service trip in 2007 with Athletes in Action. We went to LA and served at churches and day cares along skid row. That's when I truly realized how much I've been blessed in my own life, and it made me want to give time and energy to people who really need it. Ever since that trip, I've continued to seek out ways to serve. I believe when you give for no reason other than to just give, you get just as much out of the experience as what you produce.
Sarah lives in Dallas, Texas.
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| Sarah and her dog Lucy |
What made you want to go on the Voluntour?
I took my first trip to Lesotho in 2009 with a group of Wittenberg University students, and the 'Magic Mountain Kingdom' totally stole my heart. While there was great need, the happiness I saw in the children, and the selfless giving of the Basotho was overwhelming. When our bus arrived in the city, happy children ran alongside us with bright smiles on their faces. For being a country of immense poverty, it struck me how excited and happy they were. I was truly moved that first night. Our group completed many different projects around the city, including planting gardens, digging pit latrines, and painting bedrooms and orphanages. It is so rewarding to serve. Our trip lasted for a little under a month, and upon leaving, I knew that I had to go back someday. I began volunteering for BLOOM Africa the year after I graduated by hosting annual happy hour events in Beaumont and then Dallas, Texas. When I heard about the Voluntour opportunity, it wasn't even a question of whether or not I wanted to go. I emailed Andrew and said, "Where do I sign up!?"
What are some things you're excited about to experience in Lesotho?
I am most excited to interact with the children and families. It's a very freeing feeling to work alongside somebody. I am also excited to grow alongside the other BLOOM volunteers. A person experiences a lot of emotions when put in a new environment, especially an environment so completely different than where we live. I think that talking about our experiences together as a group will allow each of us to grow in our own ways.
What makes you want to serve
I've always had a heart for service. I went on my first service trip in 2007 with Athletes in Action. We went to LA and served at churches and day cares along skid row. That's when I truly realized how much I've been blessed in my own life, and it made me want to give time and energy to people who really need it. Ever since that trip, I've continued to seek out ways to serve. I believe when you give for no reason other than to just give, you get just as much out of the experience as what you produce.
Sarah lives in Dallas, Texas.
