Changing the Direction of my Future!

So, today has been a pretty momentous day. I just emailed the Peace Corps recruiter to withdraw my application at this time. I can reactivate it upon my return from Peru if I want to, but I think my future is going to lie in a different direction. My mind is running a mile a minute right now, but I am really excited.

This morning, Keri, Ben, Annie and I met for about 3 hours and have planted the seeds of what could be a really great non-profit here in the Sacred Valley. We all agree that there is so much work to be done in the healthcare field here. There are multiple clinics of various sizes that need assistance; public health education is a necessity; and supplies are lacking. We spent hours coming up with a more organized volunteer handbook as well as outreach programs we would like to begin. Our goal is to start a donation registry that will allow people to choose what they would like to donate (kind of like a wedding registry). We have a ton of work to do, but the four of us are very motivated. Ben has an IT background but is planning on going to medical school in 2011. Annie is an RN who works in a birthing center in the States and she has plans to get her Masters in Public Health. Together, we have a lot of experience that we hope to all work together both here in Peru and when we all return to the States. The idea is to coordinate with each other and continue to come down to Ollanta as we can to keep Awamaki Health sustained. Like I said, it is all in its beginnings, but we hope to have a website up and running along with our donations registry by the 21st of March. I will post the link so you can see what it entails.

So I have decided that maybe I am meant to be doing this instead of spending 2 years somewhere in the Peace Corps. I can get my nursing degree and come down here and really do some good in a community that I know and that (after 5 months) knows me. I´d love to hear your thoughts and ideas on this turn in my life. Any assistance from you all would be much appreciated. If you want to help, we would love to have you (Nicki -- we would love your non-profit expertise, Nyph and Jill -- remember our lunch conversations, we could use your skills!!).

Okay, gotta go to our weekly volunteer meeting. Tomorrow Keri and I are teaching the kids at the afterschool program how to wash their hands. We´ve been making posters and singing our newly created hand-washing song. Lava las Manos!!!

Love to you all!