Bree at Peace Camp (campers cropped for privacy)

Every day at the beginning of camp, I was so nervous that things would not go as planned—that a volunteer would not show up, that a camper would not enjoy an activity, that a material we needed would be forgotten. Yes, those things did happen.  However, with the help of the numerous passionate volunteers and the positive attitudes of the kids, everything worked out.  The kids left every day with big smiles on their faces after singing “The Moose Song,” learning a new handshake from Ghana, or working together to cross an imaginary lava pit.  Not only did the kids laugh and have fun, but they learned as well. They learned about cultures from all over the world, that diversity is all around them, that people around the world maybe are not all that different from them, and that there are effective ways to deal with conflict that do not involve violence. 

The goal of the Border Servant Corps is to provide support staff for established social service agencies that serve the marginalized population of Las Cruces, N.M., Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, in particular. We seek to serve those living in poverty, the homeless or near homeless, immigrants and youth. Volunteers are encouraged and supported in exploration of a simpler lifestyle, life in community and spiritual growth.