KidzCare and Volunteers Partner to Bring Smiles in Panama

Before I left for Panama, I had the opportunity to visit some young philanthropists at KidzCare USA in Maryland. They wanted to learn more about Project HOPE's health education and humanitarian assistance mission and they wanted to help. The students put together small bags filled with pencils, paper, pencil sharpeners, crayons and erasers and gave them to me to take to Colon.

Yesterday,volunteer nurse Carolyn Springman visited an indigenous village in Panama, and she took the gift bags with her. "When I started to hand out the bags, the kids glanced over at their mothers to make sure it was okay," Carolyn said. "When they got the okay, their eyes lit up."

Carolyn said the children began to draw pictures immediately with their new pencils and paper, and many rushed over to show her their art work. "We had the exact amount of bags for the exact number of kids that were there," she added.

A first-time volunteer for Project HOPE, Carolyn has been overwhelmed by her experience to date. "What impresses me the most is that these people have nothing at all, but every single one had a smile on their face. They were so extremely welcoming to us."

Whether she is taking care of patients, educating on health issues or just sitting with a child to marvel over a hand-drawn picture, Carolyn believes every interaction makes a difference. "It's just not the things we learn in nursing school that we are using here. We are putting band-aids on people's hearts."

Thanks Carolyn and thanks to the students at KidzCare USA.

-Melanie