Laurie Linnes-Bagley's Story...
As my youngest son approached his high school graduation, I spent some time musing about the person I was before being defined by work and motherhood. I wanted to find that feeling of freedom and possibility again. I asked Valeria, a friend of 30 years if she would join me on a trip to Bolivia this last September.
We travelled through Amizade, a non-profit organization based in West Virginia. Amizade is a Portuguese word meaning friendship, and they promote individual empowerment through worldwide service and learning.
The Bolivian staff met us at the Cochabamba airport, and we began our immersion in Bolivian culture. I found everything I was looking for, and more. We worked for two weeks at an orphanage, and made considerable improvements to the facility. The 14 Amizade volunteers were an interesting group from around the US, ranging from 20 to 76 years old. The Bolivians we met and worked with were so warm and genuine, and patient with our bad Spanish.
We worked hard physically, which felt wonderful. We connected with people, which warmed my heart. We made a positive difference to the orphans. We did not cook, talk on the phone, or pay bills. We were removed from our usual reality and living in the moment of the here and now in a third world country. The feeling of freedom was like going to camp as a child, that something wonderful was bound to happen each day.
Would I do it again? I can't wait for my next service adventure!
