How do you say 'service' in Vietnamese?

để phục vụ những người khác - that's how! 

These students on the Vietnam team will soon be experiencing service across the world but right now they are learning the meaning of service in their own backyards.  However you spell it - service - is changing lives!

Sydney Stanger

My main service site is The Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center.  It is a place where refugee kids can come to get help with their homework and it is located right in their apartment complex.  I go every Thursday for a couple of hours and it is so cute to see the kids excited to see us when they walk in.  They don't have much but are still so happy and want to do their best to succeed in school.  It has been great to get to know them and make an impact in their life!










Sydney Robertson
I have been volunteering at Friday Kids Respite. The group meets in the Kids on the Move building every Friday night.  This organization is for parents with disabled children. They can bring their disabled children here and we play with them. This helps the parents get a small break from the constant intensive care they are required to give their children. As a volunteer we basically get to be kids again and spend an evening helping the special needs kids have some fun while their parents take a break. Volunteering here has helped to realize how carefree my life is.  One memorable moment was when I was paired up with a child with Down syndrome. It was hard to interact with him at first so I just started making weird noises and acting kind of crazy. Within minutes he was laughing hysterically. I realized that I could connect though the universal language of laughter.


 Olivia Randall

I volunteer at Real Life in Salt Lake City and I work with refugees. As a volunteer I work with the teens helping with activities and playing games with them. It has been a really neat experience getting to know all of the teens and more about them. They always come with so much energy and are ready to do whatever the activity might be. An experience I had was on one of the first days when we had to interview one of the teens. Most of the questions were about education, how school is now, and their plans for college. The girl I interviewed loved school. She couldn't tell me one thing she wished were different about school. She had such a positive attitude about it. When I asked if she was going to college she said, "Of course!" She loved learning and seemed to really understand the difference a higher education will make on your life. I have loved volunteering and just playing around with the teens. It has been a wonderful experience.




Joanna Remund

I volunteer at the Midway Elementary in Midway, Utah.  I go every Wednesday and Friday from 9-11 as much as I can.  I help the kids that struggle in reading and writing.  It is really cool to see the changes that have occurred since the beginning. Reading is becoming a lot easier for the kids I help and I can tell that they enjoy knowing how to do the things that other kids can do.  I have learned that it just takes time, patience and encouragement to help the kids, and that building relationships with these kids is very important.







tốt công việc! (Good work!)