Welcome to Photo Friday! Each Friday, we share photo collections of our favourite shots from our sponsor sites around the world.
It’s National Volunteer Week! We’d like to celebrate, thank, and pray for all of our volunteers who have worked with us at Chalice. Every person has been a blessing, bringing their unique gifts to help us carry out our mission here in and Canada and overseas.
Volunteers help us in our office, in their own communities and parishes across Canada, and at our sponsor sites when they travel with us on mission. When gathering restrictions came in place in Canada, the move to volunteering from their homes did not phase our local volunteers. They still stuffed more 100,000 envelopes of child correspondence at Christmastime!
Today we’re sharing our top 5 “volunteers on mission” photos – highlighting all of the ways our volunteers share their expertise, passion and, above all, love with the children and families at our sites.
#5: Sojin’s new pals
Sojin volunteered her time and talents on a mission trip to Paraguay. She loved playing with the children at the Open Centre in our CMAVIL site. Sponsored children come to the Open Centre before or after school, where they receive help with their homework, a hot meal, healthy snacks and of course, lots of outdoor play time. So it was extra fun to have buddies from Canada for a whole week to push them on the swings, skip their jump ropes, and play soccer!
#4: Sharleen’s efforts will bear fruit in Saidia
Our supporter Sharleen volunteered on mission at our Saidia site in Kenya. On World Environment Day, she planted trees with site staff and children! Sharleen planted a special tree in honour of Chalice.
#3: Mission in motion in Haiti
Remembering to stretch and move is important at any age. On a mission trip to our Haiti North site, our volunteer physiotherapist engaged seniors (and fellow mission participants) in short but effective movement routines they can do at home, even from their seats! Waving their arms, wiggling their legs, rolling their shoulders – they were too busy laughing to realize they were working on their mobility and flexibility.
#2: Getting in touch with tradition in Tanzania
Community members from Mkongo near our Neema site wanted to show mission volunteers how they make a traditional stew with greens and rice. The cooks needed to pluck the leaves and grind them with a mortar and pestle, and the local cooks made it look so easy! Volunteer Eileen and her teammates laughed and bonded with the mothers with the universal language of food.
#1: Brushing up on the basics in Bolivia
While the topic of brushing and flossing might not be every student’s favourite, the children at our Fatima site were thrilled to have special guests from Canada coming to teach them. The mission team used quiz questions, games, and costumes to help the students understand when and how to properly clean their teeth. All the children received kits full of toothpaste and toothbrushes, so they can keep up with what they learned.
Follow Chalice on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates from our sponsor sites, impact stories, and more! Be sure to check back next week for another Photo Friday.