Belize volunteer in need of support

My name is Monica Senin, and apart from the past four years I spent at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., I have lived all of my life in Whitefish.

I know some of you from attending church here, going to Whitefish public school or through my parents, Ann and John, and my four older brothers and sisters.

In one month, I will be traveling to Belize City, Belize, as a volunteer with Jesuit Volunteers International. I will spend two years teaching special education at St. Martin de Porres, a primary school that provides education for nearly 700 boys and girls. Students in the special education program have learning disabilities, behavior disorders and some limited physical disabilities.

In addition to managing the special education program at St. Martin de Porres, I will juggle roles of counselor, librarian, social worker and resource/information provider for fellow teachers.

In addition to my volunteer work, I have committed and will continue to commit myself to the four principles that JVI is built upon — simplicity, social justice, faith and community. In community with five other volunteers, I will try to live out these principles on a daily basis.

I am very excited to embark on this adventure, but I need your help. As a Catholic, non-profit international organization, JVI relies largely on donors to cover the $16,000 it costs to send and support a single volunteer like myself, for two years.

Each volunteer is missioned to raise $3,000 before orientation, which began on July 15. By donating even $5, you would be supporting my work with children and JVI's work with the homeless, unemployed, refugees, people with AIDS, the elderly, street youth, abused women and the mentally ill.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution, donations can be sent in my name to Jesuit Volunteers International, P.O. Box 3756, Washington, D.C. 20027.

Monica Senin

Faulkner, Md.