Why Care?

Sometimes, I ask myself, “Why care?”  There are so many disasters and tragedies in the world, both natural and manmade.  Then, there are hundreds of thousands of organizations around the world trying to deal with all of the social issues & hardships out there.  Somehow, in the mix of so many efforts, some people just don’t get cut in on the support.  Opening the center was and is the right thing to do.  The bigger question is, “Why not care?”  How can so many millions of tourists pass through as onlookers and notice the way the people live and not do anything about it?  The community in Saylla, Peru had gone overlooked.  Not one after school program existed before we came along.  Kids either were put to work by their parents, out in the streets, or in many cases left home alone for many hours with responsibilities beyond their years of cooking and caring for younger siblings.  Now, there is a safe, nurturing environment where they can go after school.

There are so many causes in the world and so many communities in need, but if you don’t help any for fear that you can’t help them all, then you are missing out on the opportunity to impact lives and change the world for the better.  Don’t get me wrong.  Managing a non-profit as a volunteer in my spare time is not easy.  Yet, when I think of the alternative, I know why it’s all worthwhile.  I might have just visited the town, snapped some pictures, and left.  Or maybe, I never would have gone there at all.  So happy it didn’t turn out that way.  That’s why I care.  -Dahlia