Women travel Costa Rica
to Help Impoverished
By Emily Briggs,
Dailyworld.com
In the season of giving,
two area women are doing
just that.
Holly Bordelon and
Kendal Richard are
preparing for a trip to
Costa Rica in April.
Bordelon discovered the
volunteer based group
Tropical Adventures on
the Internet and decided
it would be a charitable
cause.
"I did a lot of research
trying to find the right
organization," Bordelon
said.
Tropical Adventures is a
volunteer abroad and
cultural enrichment
program based in Costa
Rica. "We will be
teaching English, art
and tutoring sixth
graders and also
teaching adult and
adolescent language
night classes," she
said.
The two women will
receive a training
packet which entails
trip expectations and
details about the
country. There are no
technical requirements
needed to participate in
the program, but
language barriers will
exist.
"They have interpreters
available, and we will
learn Spanish before we
leave," Bordelon said.
Earlier this year,
Bordelon traveled to
Kigali and Rwanda,
Africa with Reaching
Souls International
Evangelist as part of
the groups missionary
work. According to
Bordelon, the two-week
seminar reached more
than 350 preachers and
their wives.
"We donated 150 bicycles
to them, (which) are
like cars are to us,"
she said. "It was a
truly awesome
experience."
Richard has purchased
Spanish CDs and
workbooks in preparation
for the trip.
"I took Spanish in high
school so I'll refresh
my memory with the
language exercises," she
said.
The two women will stay
in Costa Rica for four
weeks and be housed with
a host family from the
region. According to
Bordelon, Internet cafes
are prevalent in the
area and this will be
her main form of
communication with her
family.
"My family has been very
supportive, they were
worried with the idea at
first, but they are
happy for me," she said.
Bordelon and Richard are
conducting various
activities to raise
money for their trip,
which cost about $1,500,
excluding airfare. They
have ordered navy and
white T-shirts with the
quote, "Be the change
you wish to see in the
world"and also black
bracelets that read,
"Hope is a waking dream"
in red lettering in
efforts to help support
their cause.
"I'm really excited to
meet the people and
provide help," Richard
said. "I'm ready for the
experience and
hopefully, it will
change me as a person." |
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