Volunteer in Peru for Your Next Vacation

Jimmy Tug-o-war PeruAll of the ECP stories are from my unforgettable time spent volunteering in Pisco, Peru with the organization Burners Without Borders. I received an e-mail from one of the main organizers updating us past volunteers on Pisco.  If you’re looking for future vacation ideas, I can tell you the 6 weeks I spent volunteering in Peru were 6 weeks that changed my life significantly.

Below is the message from our organizer, Jimmy and the accompanying letter from Harold, the new Director of Pisco Sin Fronteras. Harold is a local tour guide turned community volunteer after the earthquake of 2007. He’s an amazing person not afraid to give completely of himself for the benefit of others.

Hello Pisco Volunteers,

Burners without Borders is off to a great start in 2009. We are confident our impact this year will surpass the amazing accomplishments of 2008.

With all the wonderful accomplishments of last year, the formation of Pisco Sin Fronteras (PSF) is allowing volunteerism to continue in Pisco.  One of the largest voids seen in disaster assistance is local long-term reconstruction assistance.  PSF was formed from our energy and our efforts.  Let’s show our support and keep that Burner energy alive in Pisco!

Harold and the PSF crew have been busy, Harold’s written a letter that we have to pass along.  Efforts like this just prove this community is unstoppable.

Read more

Bringing Baseball to Pisco, Peru

It was a Wednesday night, and I was getting nervous about leading the “Intercambio” cultural exchange with the local kids. Earlier in the day, at the 8 AM organizational meeting, I had raised my hand to volunteer to PM (project manage) Intercambio that night. Now, 5 minutes before I was supposed to be out there, I realized that I knew so little Spanish and was so unprepared that I was about to make a fool of myself in front of genuinely good kids.

So when I raised my hand to lead Intercambio, Jimmy (our de facto leader at the time), asked “what are you going to do?”

“Teach them how to play baseball hopefully.”

“Oh! You’re the baseball coach. I was wondering when you were going to get here! We should get a game organized at a field somewhere once you teach them how to play!”
“Yes? Okay.”

Read more