What makes Travel4Souls successful?
Recently, I've been asked this question a lot lately. All I can say is...
Passion.
I have worked for Soles4Souls for exactly a year and a half..and have learned a vast amount of knowledge about humanitarian work during that time. Obviously creating, planning, and working on the logistics has exposed me to learn things specific to this job and this job only. But the aspect that I have learned from the most is the emotional side. I don't mean the constant weight of seeing poverty--but more the constant weight of what we are doing about it. People have opinions. Some people feel that it is better to not travel and just send that money to developing nations to help more, some feel that the experience brings awareness and opens doors to help even more. I have my own opinions and at times find myself contradicting what I feel are the best methods to what I am actually practicing. However, the more I have seen, read, experienced, etc..the more I truly believe---if you are trying to do something for the greater good then in some way there will be a positive outcome.
I always tell our trip participants that are eager to do more....do it. As long as you are doing it out of love, research what you are wanting to do and how it can effect every aspect of all sides, and pray that it succeeds in the way that is best in the overall picture...it will succeed. Do I wish I could create some type of way to end world poverty, children feeling neglected, ensure everyone receives education, and do it in some way that each country could stand on its own without having to increase consumerism from the wealthy countries..YES! But until I find a way to do that, I am doing this---enabling others to go and learn and be changed for the better...and the thing I have realized--in doing this--I am actually able to make progression for the other.
Not everyone LOVES the trip as much as others..people are people and I would literally kill myself trying to please everyone--as I have finally realized. :) But, regardless of what I do, God is doing something in each person--His plan, His will. Grace is an amazing thing that I am extremely thankful for. Emily and I both work with passion that has been given to us by Christ--the passion that we don't want people to just go and come back and say..well, we hope that worked--hopefully now they go and do something. Our goal is that each person gives/receives love in some way so they are motivated to give/receive even more love once they return. So when I am asked the questions about our success--the answer is passion...we are invested in each person that comes on a trip because it is our passion that they give/receive love and then pass that on...we are not just invested in that one week...but love staying in communication often with each participant to make sure they are doing okay and hear about the ripple effect from their experience and how many more people have benefited from LOVE in their own backyards and around the world.
The success of Travel4Souls is nothing specific that we do...God loves, we love, our participants love, and kids love--a recipe for success.
Colossians 3:12-17
WE LOVE YALL!!! :)
If you want to keep up with more of our stories and pictures feel free to follow us on facebook! We only have a few more likes to go to hit our first goal. www.facebook.com/travel4souls
xoxo,
Katie Lentile
Recently, I've been asked this question a lot lately. All I can say is...
Passion.
I have worked for Soles4Souls for exactly a year and a half..and have learned a vast amount of knowledge about humanitarian work during that time. Obviously creating, planning, and working on the logistics has exposed me to learn things specific to this job and this job only. But the aspect that I have learned from the most is the emotional side. I don't mean the constant weight of seeing poverty--but more the constant weight of what we are doing about it. People have opinions. Some people feel that it is better to not travel and just send that money to developing nations to help more, some feel that the experience brings awareness and opens doors to help even more. I have my own opinions and at times find myself contradicting what I feel are the best methods to what I am actually practicing. However, the more I have seen, read, experienced, etc..the more I truly believe---if you are trying to do something for the greater good then in some way there will be a positive outcome.
I always tell our trip participants that are eager to do more....do it. As long as you are doing it out of love, research what you are wanting to do and how it can effect every aspect of all sides, and pray that it succeeds in the way that is best in the overall picture...it will succeed. Do I wish I could create some type of way to end world poverty, children feeling neglected, ensure everyone receives education, and do it in some way that each country could stand on its own without having to increase consumerism from the wealthy countries..YES! But until I find a way to do that, I am doing this---enabling others to go and learn and be changed for the better...and the thing I have realized--in doing this--I am actually able to make progression for the other.
Not everyone LOVES the trip as much as others..people are people and I would literally kill myself trying to please everyone--as I have finally realized. :) But, regardless of what I do, God is doing something in each person--His plan, His will. Grace is an amazing thing that I am extremely thankful for. Emily and I both work with passion that has been given to us by Christ--the passion that we don't want people to just go and come back and say..well, we hope that worked--hopefully now they go and do something. Our goal is that each person gives/receives love in some way so they are motivated to give/receive even more love once they return. So when I am asked the questions about our success--the answer is passion...we are invested in each person that comes on a trip because it is our passion that they give/receive love and then pass that on...we are not just invested in that one week...but love staying in communication often with each participant to make sure they are doing okay and hear about the ripple effect from their experience and how many more people have benefited from LOVE in their own backyards and around the world.
The success of Travel4Souls is nothing specific that we do...God loves, we love, our participants love, and kids love--a recipe for success.
Colossians 3:12-17
WE LOVE YALL!!! :)
If you want to keep up with more of our stories and pictures feel free to follow us on facebook! We only have a few more likes to go to hit our first goal. www.facebook.com/travel4souls
xoxo,
Katie Lentile
BRILLIANT! Keep doing what you are doing - y'all are magnificent in my eyes!!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. Even still, it amazes me (more so in hindsight) that a small group of strangers took a leap of faith to travel to places unknown to simply share love. It is the best decision I have made to this day. I cannot WAIT to go back and would go on every trip if I could. I do think about all of the members of our team, and even those I have not met, every day and do feel that there is no way our paths will not cross again. I am reminded of a favorite quote when thinking of how to persuade someone to come along:
ReplyDelete"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." --Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights leader
And that is what the first trip was. But now that I have seen a bit of that staircase, I realize that I want to run up it!! And Katie, you are the "enabler"! :P Which is a great thing to be...