Today’s post is a guest blog from Volunteers for Peace:

Volunteers For Peace (VFP) provides an opportunity to hundreds of people every year, to work for peace throughout the year.

I participated in my first voluntary service project in 1990 in Rutland, Vermont. We were a microcosm of the world; 12 volunteers from 8 countries living together for three weeks while renovating a huge house into a half-way house. The frequent  conversations with Russians, Czechs, Germans, Slovaks, Italians and others about our dreams for the future, the environment, the cold war, the purpose of religion, and life provided a unique perspective for viewing local and international events throughout my life.

VFP offers over 3000 international voluntary service projects in more than 100 countries each year. Many of these take place in the summer months and all of them offer affordable opportunities to learn about other cultures and places while working together on a common project. Fast and deep friendships are also a part of every program and the result is a world without borders. VFP projects build a world where there is no “us” and “them” because you become one. They make it impossible to hear about a natural disaster in Thailand, or an overthrow of the President in Kazakistan, or what the French think of Americans and not wonder if your friends are involved. International programs and friendships change lives.

These international projects (you can view them at www.vfp.org) also enhance peace by attacking poverty, one of the fundamental causes of distress and violence. Programs often have participants helping provide services and structures that simply would not be possible without the time and energy of dedicated volunteers. What could be more powerful than building a school in Ghana, or helping with relief work in Haiti, building AIDS awareness in Vietnam, or helping with a drama camp for less advantaged kids in Italy?

As we move toward another International Day of Peace I am eagerly awaiting my next group of volunteers who will descend on Shelburne, Vermont for three weeks this summer. I can’t wait for the conversations, shared meals, common dreams and friendships that will grow as we work together and discover or common desires. Having organized and participated in many projects I can say it is true; wherever you are and whoever you are the most basic dream is to live in peace.

Megan Brook

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 22nd, 2010 at 2:45 pm and is filed under Volunteer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.