As some of you may already know, I have embarked on a new adventure. In September I moved to Loma Linda to get my M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders. My end goal is to become a speech-language pathologist. When choosing which program I would like to attend, Loma Linda University stood out to me for their service opportunities. I am happy to announce that I have decided to participate in one of these opportunities this spring by partnering with Students for International Missions Service (SIMS) to serve in Peru. Below are a few details about this trip. 

ADRA Peru has invited SIMS to bring an interdisciplinary team of students and faculty to the Chuquicahuana Training Center & Camp, a facility located in the Department of Cuzco. ADRA utilizes the training center as a home base for a variety of community outreach projects in communities surrounding the center. Additionally, ADRA hosts several week-long camps emphasizing health themes throughout the year for children, adolescents, and adults in the community. The goal of the camps for children and young people is to expose them to new ways of thinking regarding their physical and mental health. In addition to these service activities with ADRA, SIMS is partnering with the local Seventh-day Adventist church to offer community health education workshops and health fairs.

As a participant on this trip, I will have the opportunity to work with health professionals and fellow students to serve the community. I am excited to use what I have learned so far to help others, build relationships, and learn about a new place and culture.