For those of you who are unfamiliar with Amigos…I believe that it is the premier youth leadership program in existence, as well as a great example of North American sharing and collaboration to help build civil society in Latin America.  I now serve on the Amigos Board of Directors, but was a volunteer and staff member during 1976 - 1981, and I consider it one of the greatest experiences of my life.

Since 1965, more than 20,000 Amigos volunteers and field staff have worked in nearly all countries in Latin America, on projects ranging from environmental conservation to human rights to public health.  Young Amigos volunteers (on average: high school seniors) typically live with rural, low-income families, often without electricity or running water, and organize community projects – all in Spanish.  The quotation at left from a 17 year old volunteer captures common experiences:

To support Amigos, I will be walking from Tui, on the Spain / Portugal border, north to Santiago de Compostela.  I expect the journey to take about six days.  I completed an equivalent pilgrimage, along a different route (from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela) with my daughter last year (see map).  Our experience was magical: walking a trail that millions of other pilgrims have walked over the last millennium, through medieval villages and quiet countryside.  At the end of the day, there was always a pilgrim shelter (albergue) nearby, in which we slept – dormitory style – with up to 50 others (ear plugs come in handy to cope with snoring pilgrims!).

I accomplished things I previously thought were impossible.  Through building a playground, helping the town doctor with health examinations and organizing a garden, I was playing a leadership role that I had never been offered before.

My experience with AMIGOS has affected every area of my life, and I have learned things about myself that no one could have told me.  I finally stopped waiting for things to happen to me, and instead I’ve learned how to make things happen not only for myself, but for others as well.

I hope that you will consider supporting this year’s project, by making an online donation (perhaps $1 for every kilometer?) at the Amigos de las Américas website:

https://io.amigoslink.org/commerce/donationform.html.

The web-site is also a great source of information about Amigos.  If you donate, please include my name as the Honored Alum, and let me know by e-mail (eccazier@hotmail.com)

Thanks for reading this appeal!

Ed Cazier                                                                     April 22, 2008