The spring 2007 Temple Volunteers Service Immersion Project placed 11 students in La Democracia, Belize, a small nation bordered by Mexico to the northwest and Guatemala in the south.

Coordinated by Monica Hankins-Padilla, assistant director of Temple Volunteers, the weeklong project allowed students to provide services to the children of La Democracia, explore the areas wildlife and experience the culture and history of the Belize.

“This trip was about service,” Hankins-Padilla said. “Although the tourism market in Belize is growing, there are areas that are overrun with poverty.”

“It was an amazing trip, a life-changing experience,” she continued. “Every thing we did became a learning experience that we will never forget.”

While in La Democracia, Temple students laid the foundation for a new community center, made improvements to a local elementary school and spent time in the Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, a nature reserve that is home to several rare species of tropical birds.

For senior Dike Kalu, the most rewarding part of the trip was being able to interact with the children of La Democracia.

“The children were wonderful,” he said. “By American standards they don’t have much, yet they have a zest for life and a happiness that you don’t usually see.”

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