C.E.'s H.U.G. Project with Ferrazzi Big Task's Serve & Grow in Guatemala ~ by Founder & President Emlyn Lee

1/3/201211:15:58 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Emlyn's Expressions, Guatemala, HUG Projects, Volunteer

“Make a career of humanity, commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” ~ MLK, Jr.

I read this quote about two weeks ago at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC just days before meeting a group for a service trip through Guatemala. Cultural Embrace has been working with New York Times best-selling author and relationship guru, Keith Ferrazzi, for several of his personal service vacations in the past two years. Ferrazzi has extended his personal investment to give back to at-need communities abroad in to making a career of humanity by creating a division of his company, Greenlight Ferrazzi “Big Task’s Serve and Grow.”  Last week, Ferrazzi launched a pilot trip and invited 11 friends, family members, and colleagues to join on a return trip back to Sacatapequez, Guatemala.

I have created, organized, and managed hundreds of trips around the globe for individuals and groups, yet having spent the past week managing the operations of this Big Task service trip, I am humbled by the compassion, dedication, and generosity from each of these travelers. The 11 members from this group consisted of families with young (ages 8 & 12) and adult children (ages 28 & 34), singles, students, professionals, retirees, coming from all regions of the States and Australia. Most of these travelers lead a very busy professional and/or personal life, but took time out of the holidays to join Ferrazzi to serve and grow in Guatemala.

As a trip organizer, I often fear of the dynamics of a group and how well they will react with not only the local communities they visit, but within the group itself. This concern was not the case for this group. Although many were strangers to one another before the trip, they instantly connected and shared a common bond to embrace the Guatemalan people, their needs, as well as one another.  Having the Master of relationships, Ferrazzi, spearhead insightful discussion topics, such as “What are you hopeful in 2012”, “What are you most grateful for in 2011,” “What can we individually and collectively do to help these children,” made it simple and natural to reflect on this trip’s mission.

Less than 30% of Guatemalan children receive an education beyond 6th grade, a concern from this well-educated group of travelers. Thus, we visited 1-2 social projects a day that serves to improve the education, medical/health, and living conditions of the local children and families. We played and interacted with the children and families of at-need villages; learned about the short and long term needs and goals of the local non-profits that Cultural Embrace partners with to allow the communities to sustain themselves; brought food, games, clothes, shoes, books, school supplies; and donated monetary funds to provide scholarships to high-achieving students that couldn’t afford to go to school. We enjoyed our leisure time together and befriended locals and Guatemalan business owners to discuss ways that we, as individuals, and collectively are able to increase the awareness, provide more support, and help serve others to grow.

The smiles and hugs that the Guatemalan children and families provided as we entered a community were infectious. Their appreciation wasn’t necessarily for the candies, notebooks, meals, or money that this group donated, but for us being there. For us, knowing that they would have food in their stomachs and an education for another year until we return again, allowed us to gain a new perspective of the basic needs in life that we often take for granted.  

Whether you make a professional career or personal commitment to support the noble struggle for equal rights for all…you will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.