Meet other featured volunteers
Meet Deanna DeBiase!
What made you choose to Volunteer with Outreach360?
One of my friends came back from her trip and explained to me how amazing it was, and suggested that I should definitely experience it for myself.
What surprised you about your trip with Outreach360?
What surprised me the most about this trip is how much it has affected me as a person. This experience has given me a whole new outlook on life. These children have taught me so many lessons that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life. It has taught me that money truly cannot buy happiness. I look at these children and they are so happy and full of smiles just being together whether it be playing a game of basketball, skipping rope, or chasing after a tire. I have taken away so much from this trip and have truly changed for the better.
What where the highlights of your trip?
There were numerous highlights on this trip for me. How affectionate and loving the children at the orphanage are. Just to list an example, when it was snack time and the children got a small bag of popcorn, the children would tell us to open our hands so they could share with us some of their snack. Another highlight of the trip was being able to teach English at the schools. I couldn't believe how eager and excited the children were to learn. They were so engaged in the lessons and activities we had planned for them and seeing this motivated me to be and even better teacher to them the next day. Furthermore, being able to live in the moment was yet another highlight of this trip. I felt like I was a kid again, and it was the most fantastic feeling in the world. And these are just to name a few.
What do you miss most about your volunteer experience?
There are so many things that I miss about my volunteer experience. I think what I miss the most is the way of life and the culture of both the children and adults of Monte Cristi. The children are so eager to learn and to engage in the lessons planned for them. I don't see this same excitement and eagerness in the Western civilization and it constantly makes me think back to me experience with the kids in Monte Cristi. I miss the culture of Monte Cristi. I miss being able to walk down the streets with everybody waving at you and saying hello.
Why should others choose to volunteer with Outreach360?
Others should choose to volunteer with Orphanage Outreach because this experience is something you will take with you for the rest of your life. It is truly unbelievable how much these children will teach you. Both the children and leaders of Orphanage Outreach are amazing. It's so hard to explain the experience fully, therefore I encourage each and every one of you to go out there and experience it for yourselves!