Volunteer Abroad Short Term Doesn't Help? You Have To Be Kidding

Yesterday I saw a Tweet from a large volunteer company about people who volunteer for 2 days in an orphanage and that their effort doesn't help.  It was a RT (Repeat Tweet) from two individuals who ought to have known better.  It's an age-old, very tired yawn of a topic these days.  Still, I can't just let something like that pass without at least an observation.

GeoVisions, where I work, doesn't have 2-day volunteer experiences, but we don't see anything wrong with them.  In fact, I'm actually starting to think it's something we should consider offering.  And here's why:

If I only have 2 days to give, who are those Twitterers to tell me I'm not helping?  I love it when the do-gooders stand up and pass judgment on the only 2 days I have to give.  I'm not at Foxwoods gambling.  I'm not on the beach.  I'm not in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn and a beer.  I'm over at the orphanage reading to kids, cleaning the toilets, changing beds, washing clothes and preparing a meal.  Twice.

Maybe I have only a one-week vacation this year.  And what if I go abroad on a tour?  I want to see Thailand and hit the beach and recharge my batteries.  And my hotel has this two-day option to volunteer at a local orphanage.  (The Ritz-Carlton Group has just that in real life called "Give Back Getaways".)  I've never done anything like that so I think I want to give that a try.  I've always wanted to volunteer.  I love kids.  At the end of those two days, the experience is great.  I wish I had 2 more days or 2 more weeks or 2 more months.  But I don't.  I have this tour, I am here with friends and I need to get home to get on with my job and my life.  I only have a one-week vacation.

But the experience in Thailand has moved me.  Enough to come home and volunteer two Sunday mornings a week at a shelter preparing 80 meals.  I bring a friend the 2nd Sunday.  Next month 4 of us show up.

I doubt I'd have done that if I had not had the 2-days when I was vacationing in Thailand.

So stop Twittering about me.  Please don't judge the only two days I have to give, or my values.  I have a limited amount of time and a limited amount of money.  I'm giving 2 days.  I'm giving all I can at this time in my life.

At GeoVisions, we are looking for people who want to give.  No one can be helped if we don't have people to give.  A day, a month, a year.  Of course, whatever you have to give will help.  And it might even help if we pass judgment less and thank the givers more.