I'm excited to be off on another Latin American adventure. This will be my second time ever leaving the United States. (The first time was 8 months ago when I visited Mexico!)
From Jan. to Apr, 2016, I will be participating in a program made possible through the Kennedy Center for International Studies at BYU to volunteer as an intern with LDS Self-Reliance Services. I have been assigned with a companion to the area of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic!
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The Dominican Republic (DR) is located in the Caribbean! The national language is Spanish. (Yay!) |
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The DR's beautiful beaches make it a hot spot for tourism.
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So what is the purpose of my internship here?!
https://www.lds.org/topics/pef-self-reliance?lang=eng
In response to a serious lack of ability among members to provide the necessities of life for self and family, General Authorities of the Church started the new worldwide Self-Reliance Initiative a little over two years ago. It combines aspects of the LDS Perpetual Education Fund and Employment Services to enable people to take necessary steps toward temporal and spiritual self-reliance. As an intern, I will support priesthood leaders in their responsibilities, develop resources, and administer Perpetual Education Fund loans in order to aid people in finding employment, creating and maintaining a small business, and/or seeking education to qualify them for better job opportunities, as well as progressing spiritually. This program has helped people increase their income, budget, and commit more to living according to gospel principles, though it is a challenge to establish the responsibilities of Priesthood leaders of the Church at various levels as well as to retain participants through the process.
Right now, it’s important to get involved in struggling areas around the world in helping people to understand the importance of this initiative and its function, so that it can be maintained and strengthened for years to come. My companion and I will be working under a Self-Reliance Manager, an employee of the Church who lives in the area and trains local leaders. He/she will direct us in how to best move the work along in Santo Domingo, including assistance in training and resourcing for the program.
The resources on the LDS Church site have gotten me so excited to be involved in such a meaningful program! (Check it out! https://www.lds.org/topics/pef-self-reliance?lang=eng )
Carolina and I feeling giddy about booking our flights together! |
I'm so excited for you!! Have so much fun :) 👍🏻👍🏻
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julianne!!
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