September 13, 2011
Message from my Heart
I know it’s been a while since my last newsletter, but I hope that you have had a great summer. I’ve had some very unique opportunities to experience giving and quality family time with my immediate and extended family this summer.Starting with a service trip to Peru in South America with a family group of 46 people, and ending with a family wedding in Toronto, Canada with the opportunity for a reunion and a visit with my 91 year old grandmother.
With so much to share, I’ll dedicate this issue to the shoe distribution that we experienced in the outskirts of Lima, Peru with Samaritan’sFeet, an organization that I’ve really enjoyed working with and supporting.
Today's Inspiring Story
You may remember one of my previous newsletters which featured Emmanuel (Manny) Ohonme, founder of Samaritan’s Feet. I was truly honored to be working with his team on his incredible mission to put 10 million pairs of shoes on the feet of 10 million orphans and impoverished children around the world. Manny wishes to make a difference in the lives of millions by continuing the legacy of love and hope which he received with his first pair of shoes at the age of 9 in Lagos, Nigeria.
Vacations That Matter had an amazing opportunity to collaborate with Samaritan’s Feet to include a shoe distribution service project for the extended family with a mission to serve in Peru. And the privilege was all mine to join them with my 11 year old daughter to experience giving in such a unique way.
On the afternoon of June 20, 2011, 48 of us boarded a bus to one of the poorest areas of Lima to distribute 300 pairs of shoes with our local representative for Samaritan’s Feet, Pastor Samuel Santa Maria, and his dedicated friendly translator. What a humbling experience it was to wash the feet of children, women and men, and to provide them with a new pair of shoes while giving them a message of hope. Seeing the smiles and excitement in their faces was well worth the long bus ride to get to the distribution site. Even with our limited Spanish language skills, we managed to get our message of love and hope across to them.
As one of the teenagers in our group said, “Everyone is the same, no matter how different our lives are. Each person has value and deserves to be treated with no less respect than anyone else. I really picked this up when washing people's feet. It really was a humbling experience”.
This experience was not exclusive to a few, but was felt by the entire family group. What could be more gratifying than sharing these moments with your loved ones while enjoying the sights, culture and people of Lima and Cusco.
Stay tuned for the next couple of newsletters where I will share the other unique service projects that we participated in during the same trip to Peru.
Vacations That Matter Recommends
Join one of these trips and experience FUN, SUN…A LITTLE GIVING...A LOT OF GRATITUDE!!!
PERU, YEAR ROUND
Experience Peru’s intriguing culture and legacy of Machu Picchu
Spend a day assembling and distributing wheelchairs, building stoves or distributing shoes
MEXICO, YEAR ROUND
Treat yourself to beautiful beaches, Mayan Ruins, culture, food, & adventure activities and
Spend a few hours visiting a women’s shelter or cleaning up a beach
VIETNAM & CAMBODIA (INDOCHINA), - NOVEMBER 2011
Experience the tranquility of Angkor Wat and Ha Long Bay
Spend a day building water filters and distributing them to Villages or spend time at orphanages.
For bookings or inquiries please contact
NINA PATEL
Vacations That Matter
714-925-1769
nina@vacationsthatmatter.com
http://www.vacationsthatmatter.com
About Vacations That Matter
Vacations that Matter specializes in planning customized group vacations for families, friends, collegues, church members, associations, corporations, clubs or any affinity groups who would like to enjoy their vacations and make a difference while bonding, sharing gratifying experiences, and memorable journeys together.
Our customized group vacations are about having fun, sharing dreams, and giving hope, by incorporating a few hours to a couple of days of volunteer work such as visiting a school, orphanage, women's shelter, and soup kitchen, or working on projects including wildlife conservation, trail maintenance, building, painting, sharing professional expertise, and much much more.
Matters of the Heart is an electronic newsletter serving as an inspirational tool for anyone who wishes to pay it forward while enjoying their vacation, published by VacationsThatMatter.
If you have any questions or comments please send them to: hello@vacationsthatmatter.com
Follow Vacations That Matter on
