We’ve been looking forward to sharing these photos with you! Here’s a description of this year’s big adventure from Avishai.
Every summer — December, January, and February here in the Southern Hemisphere — we go on a memorable trip for the youth to bond and explore their cultural identity before they go back to their classes.
Last year we didn’t go, as many plans worldwide changed for most people.
This year, we received a large donation from one donor, just for our trip! That’s why you didn’t see a fundraising campaign this time.
We hired a big bus and a driver, and went on a long trip, for the last nine days of February.
Nearly everyone from the Casa joined, plus a few close family and friends of the youth, in total 23 people.
We drove to Puno, on the shore of Lake Titicaca, a full day drive from Urubamba, where we stayed for two nights at a special rustic hostal built by friends of ours. We explored the floating islands and spent time on and around the pristine and magical lake.
Then we traveled another full day to the beach town of Ilo, in the Moquegua district in the south coast of Peru. We camped for five days on the beach and had great experiences learning to get by with very little shade, water, and a makeshift kitchen directly on the sand. Everybody took turns to cook and made delicious creative dishes, mostly from fresh fish from the local fish market.
Coming from the high and cool Andes, living several days on the warm beach, playing in the waves, getting burnt by the sun, and exploring endless sandy beaches and beach towns has been an unforgettable experience.
On the way back, we stopped again at cold and rainy Puno and had a beautiful completion for the trip.
Everyone was at their best, helping each other with cooking, cleaning, packing, building, folding tents, and looking after each other.
After each trip, the family seems even closer.
The youth spent two days deep cleaning and rearranging the kitchen and dining room. To me, it proved that the benefits of the Summer Vacation go well beyond the vacation itself. We aim to support the youth in growing to be responsible, creative, mature and think globally while acting locally.
We are grateful for the support of our incredible Global Family of donors. You contribute generously and allow us to have such extraordinary adventures and opportunities to grow together, as individuals, and as a family and extended community.
A quick note from Lauren:
It’s a rare thing for a nonprofit to have a mission that can be completed and wrapped up, but now that even our youngest Niños are just a few years from college, we can see our way to the finish line. Please stay with us, so we can all experience that joy together when the time times.
If your monthly donation seems to have stopped, it could be that the card we have on file for you has expired. Please drop me a note at Lauren@ninosdelsol.org and I’ll help you get back on board!
