Testimonial from Erica Nowak

August 26, 2007 (Travel  Youth Volunteer 2007)
Erica Nowak

I want to let all of you know that I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to meet you and to work with you for such a great cause. If someone had told me a year ago that I would have been in Ecuador working with Causes for Change, I would not have believed them, but it is an experience that has completely changed my life and has helped to pave what I want to become in the future. You are all an inspiration to me and I hope that you will all be going to Ecuador again next year because this is
something I will continue to be a part of. “Todo lo humano es nuestro”- from a sign I read in Milagro. “All that is human is ours” (i think that’s how it translates)

The first thing that I noticed about the people of Ecuador, especially the kids, was their complete and total trust in us, the staff of Causes for Change. It was obvious that they were going through a lot of pain when getting teeth extracted and other procedures done, but they tried to be so strong and brave for us. That was so beautiful to me. That sums up the people of Ecuador, there is so much poverty around them, but they are so happy and grateful for everything that they have. This past summer I was there as a translator (as best as I could) and also helped aid dentists in whatever they needed. Many children in Ecuador aren’t aware of the importance of brushing their teeth and their dental health was in a dire state. Dental volunteers, along with other medical volunteers, were not only there to provide medical attention, but to educate as well.

This was my first trip with Causes for Change and I can honestly say that in that one week, I grew and experienced so much. In that one week I saw a world I had never seen before. I will continue to go back because the Ecuadorian people believe in us and need us. They are the most grateful, loving people I have encountered. I will always go back because of how rewarding it is to feel like you did something positive for someone else. This is a cause I truly believe in and was able to experience first hand, that is why I am proactive about helping this organization grow.