A World Camp Thanksgiving

There's a lot to be grateful for this holiday season...

I am obviously very grateful for all of the translators giving us the gift of communication! I think mostly I’m grateful for the entire experience. I learned more in the 6 weeks with WC than I have ever learned or will ever learn in a classroom so I am more than grateful for all of the invaluable experiences and lessons learned. :)

-Mollie Hunter, Malawi 2010 volunteer
I am grateful for Nali, Africa's Hottest Peri-Peri sauce and for it's namesake, my beautiful puppy.
-Pete Goff, Malawi volunteer 2004, Y2Y Coordinator, Board Member


“I am thankful for the sweet shades Kendall-Madam shared with me during our adventurous car rides to camp.”
-Prerna Arora, India 2010 Field Assistant


I am thankful for my fellow World Camp volunteers in India and Malawi, who helped me make sense of my own experience teaching and traveling through their thoughts, stories, and reflections.
-Sylvia Mendez, India 2008 & Malawi 2008 volunteer


I'm grateful for the incredible people I met daily in Malawi, be it the World Camp staff who treated me as family from day one, or the numerous courageous Malawians who shared their lives and their stories to mere strangers.  I'm grateful for everything.
-Jon Haas, World Camp friend


I'm grateful for all spontaneous dancing and singing circles at the schools!
-Gretchen Visser, Malawi 2009 volunteer


Thankful for the experience of being part of a female empowerment group and for how what I learned from a group of 12 year old girls has helped my work in  international business.
-Nikhil Agarwal, India 2008 Field Assistant


I’m thankful for the world view World Camp gave me, as well as the discussions and debates our volunteer group had about what it really means to ‘help.’ And specifically, for an interesting conversation Baker Henson initiated at an orphan care center regarding these issues.

-Caitlin Steiger, Malawi 2005 volunteer

For Chris Gondwe’s enthusiasm for camp on days he’s not working. Jay Brollier’s strength and trust during his final empowerment group. Knowing that, how one person makes someone feel has an impact, by the way all Malawi talks about Mary Walker. The aburdity/ awesomeness of singing the Banana Song with 200 people. The Lion Game (especially Andrew Beckman & Bishakha Shome). African skies. John’s curry. Ngoni’s facial haircuts. Chai stands and bright colors.... Most of all I am grateful for the people who have come into my life, challenging me to keep moving and making me laugh on even the worst of days.

-Katy Lackey, Malawi 2005 volunteer, India & Malawi Coordinator


I am grateful for the first day we went in to Chakhala, Dowa. I had never been with World Camp before and wasn't quite sure what it is they do. As soon as we starting flinging the ball on the parachute and singing songs I felt a grin stretching toward the back of my head. I can't remember the last time I had that much fun...oh yea the last time I was in camp. When I was 10. It felt so good to go back to camp again.
-Andrew Finn Magill, World Camp friend


I am thankful for spending time in Malawi the year before becoming a parent. It was great perspective of how resilient and creative children are and how they don't need all that STUFF. I am also thankful for having the opportunity to look into John Chizimba's eyes and know deep in my heart that he knows God and to feel his comfort and peace in that knowledge.
-Catherine Scantilin, Malawi Coordinator, Board Member


I am thankful for Cyrus saving the day when someone drove into our bus, for Jaren's oh so fine chocolate chip banana muffins, for the most amazing safari trip, and for Chickabachi's wisdom.
-Elizabeth Smith, Malawi 2010 volunteer


I am thankful for meeting some on the most incredible human beings on this earth, who inspire me to do better everyday.
-Amie Garrett, Malawi 2009 volunteer

Blessings. (Photo by: Katie Sacca)

I have a picture hanging up on my wall that I took during my first home-stay in Malawi when I was a volunteer. I see it pretty much every day, and every day it brings me back to the moment that I took it.  I was documenting a very energetic early morning session of the banana song (led by my homestay buddy Charlotte Castle) at our homestay family's house when I looked over and saw one of our students from class, Blessings, sitting away from the other kids. Blessings was sitting by himself, wearing his red AIDS ribbon and focusing intently on his World Camp homework that we had assigned to him the day before. In that moment, I realized just how important it is for kids to be empowered and educated about AIDS, and I won’t ever forget it. I’m thankful for Blessings, who made me realize what a difference one person can make.
-Katie Sacca, Malawi 2007 volunteer, Malawi Coordinator

While contemplating what I’m thankful for this holiday season, I can’t help but reminisce about the warm heart.  Although I am most certainly thankful for friends and family here in the states (not to mention turkey, no power outages, and a wardrobe other than khaki skirts & WC tees), Malawi is on my mind often these days, and I remember all the wonderful things I am missing; the things that became part of my daily routine and I am ashamed to say I may have taken for granted, i.e. the things I am thankful for the most this Thanksgiving (in no particular order):

• John Chizimba's cooking (bet you saw that one coming)
• Camera chargers left at the WC house (so that I may document safari again and again)
• The women at Total, who always manage to remember my name. And the fact that I owe them a bottle.
• Field staff, and their many Facebook requests…
• Fellow coordinators that put up with my incessant eating, music playing, and at times even dancing
• Fanta floats
• DENNIS! (and Ngoni, Mr. Vito, and all of the staff – mostly the amayis faces when I try to make nsima)… “sure.”
• Volunteer squeals the first time they see animals on safari. Even if it just another darn monkey (I will admit I do NOT miss them)
• Huts. And a stomach that can handle it.
• Being appreciated.
• The WC founders.  Where would we all be without you?
•  Laughs, health, and the ABC clinic dealing with all of our ailments
• Did I mention John Chizimba?

-Rachel Dudasik, Malawi 2009 volunteer, Malawi Coordinator

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at World Camp!!