Parent Testimonial

Dear Mike and the Board,

I've been thinking about Amigos and how it changed our lives. I wanted to share my thoughts with you and thank you for this incredible experience.

I was curious but skeptical last fall when my daughter approached us with the idea of going to Central America for the summer. I thought that she was naive and would not be prepared for such a trip. But after attending the AMIGOS orientation I was willing to put my faith in this group and give it a try. As we navigated this new territory it was clear this group knew what they were doing. The first step was to educate us and assure us that AMIGOS knew how to prepare the children as well as the parents for this incredible adventure.

Off we go-fund raising. I was impressed that AMIGOS wouldn't let this privileged group "buy" their way out of the difficult task of raising money. It's clear that learning how to rally the community to support a worthy cause is a life skill future leaders must learn. The kids discovered that it was also useful in country when they had to rally the community to raise funds and resources for their projects.

After it was clear we could actually afford to go on this trip, the next step was to make sure the kids knew how to survive and care for themselves when outside of their safe and familiar surroundings. And perhaps more importantly, assure the parents this was the case! I thought the speakers who talked about culture and health issues were invaluable. The role-play exercises introduced us to difficult scenarios so we could imagine and prepare how we might react in awkward or unfamiliar situations. I was confident at this point that my daughter was much more prepared to handle what might lay ahead.

When the children finally left on their trip they were prepared and we parents were confident that the kids were well supported. I knew what to expect and all individuals involved followed through and addressed all of my concerns every step along the way. We were quite concerned about the political situation in Honduras and the staff was completely on top of the situation, taking the appropriate precautions. They even offered to care for my daughter when she was evacuated prematurely and we were on vacation.

The experience did not end when the kids returned home. AMIGOS followed through with support materials and guidance for how to discuss the experience and ensure the kids could make sense of what had just happened to them. Then of course, a wonderful party where they all got to share their experiences with one another.

So, it's true...AMIGOS is a worthy cause and a life changing experience. We are all changed, for the better.

Thank you!

Laurie Vertelney