If you feel like this, then join us for our Nicaragua Infomation Webinar, Sunday, February 25, at 9:00 pm EST. In 30 minutes we will go over Color My World’s service history in Nicaragua, the local needs we strive to address, and how to create a meaningful connection with those you serve. You will leave with a clear understanding of not only what we do but why we do it. We will also talk about our two scholarship opportunities and how you or a friend can apply for a one.

At the very least, it could be a good insight into the world of service. But who knows, it might even be just the opportunity you’ve been looking for.

Click here here to sign up for our webinar today!


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Below are three top tips that have impacted us as a charity, and have shaped what we do.

You will learn more than you can give.

It is common for volunteers to view these humanitarian trips as an opportunity to give of all that they have, and not expect anything in return. Volunteers set aside a week of their vacation, and pay to work. We are so grateful for these selfless volunteers, and their efforts.

One of the most special parts of volunteering is how much you learn as you give of yourself. No matter the age, or the reason for volunteering with Color My World, all volunteers leave learning more from the community that they will be working alongside than they could ever give.

Learn the value of community and family.

With the development of technology and devices, we seem to have become more recluse, spending less and less time with those we love. Whilst volunteering, you will fill your time by interacting with the community. Here you will learn first-hand the value of strong communities and families.

One simple thing that always surprises me each year, is how connected everyone is. One morning each week we will say to one of the local teenagers that we want to play a baseball or soccer game that evening. A few hours later, we have a whole community with us. At these times I wonder, if I had to get my neighbours to join me in a game, how many would I know well enough to get to join me?

Address the real needs of the community

Our views on service develop and change with each passing year. When we began visiting Central America, the most important thing we could do was plan a project months in advance that we could properly prepare for, advertise and work on.

This last year however, we learned a real lesson during our humanitarian trips that has really shaped how we have approached 2017. A week before our first group joined us in Nicaragua there was an earthquake that impacted the region where we were going to be working. In that moment, the needs of the community completely shifted, and our plans as a charity changed. Within a few days, we planned to help an orphanage in a nearby city, donating funds and effort to help them recover from the earthquake.

As a charity, we now joke around that our slogan is “subject to change,” because we have learnt that lives and needs can change in a moment, and we are there to work with a community, not for ourselves.

During your time volunteering, you will have many personal moments. These are just a few that we are a charity have cherished, and have helped shape what we do. Take some time now to evaluate your reasons for volunteering, and how you are preparing yourself for the experience.

The post What you can learn from volunteering with Color My World appeared first on Color My World.

We were a group of 30- all which we didn’t know before hand and yet, became family throughout the week. We worked hard and helped one another. Teenagers came from all different states and helped my younger boys- whether it was through their fine example of hard work and leadership, playing with them, inspiring them, or at times ‘bodyguarding’ them. The teenagers brought energy and strength to our projects.

We also had a few families join the group. We loved getting to know them. We had a young man that worked on his Eagle project as well as my own son. A generous donation was given to provide the first technology at the school in a small village for the kids and a beautiful basketball court.

We were blessed to work with such an amazing organizer for the group, Angela Hughes, who I will forever be grateful for. She and her family are a blessing and angels to the world. We also had Dan, who shares his passion to help others and relates so well to people help CMW. He was so fun to have and my kids still mimick his awesome British accent.

We love each person in our group as we built memories working side by side sweating and playing. We enjoyed our night time chats where we came together and talked about the day.

We started building some of the first houses in a small village for families without homes, helped teach English at the school, feed lunch to the village and played with the cutest kids that live in some very poor areas near the Garbage Dump, visited the sweetest kids at an orphanage-who we quickly all adored from the first minute of playing with them, my son handed out hygiene/dental kits that the people loved, we built relationships with the locals and loved talking to them and hearing their stories.

We love each person we met as we worked and played side by side with them each day. They are the hardest working and most resourceful people ever. Our friends in Nicaragua blessed our lives and touched our hearts. We love them so much! We stayed at the most beauitful surf lodge, Monty’s Surf Lodge. We stayed in an awesome hut feet away from the ocean. Our lives have been changed, our hearts touched, and we will forever be grateful for this experience together.

Many times I wondered if this trip was for us- I wondered if I could really do this… Now, we are wondering when we can go back and feeling grateful to God for this beautiful world, beautiful children all over the world, and for giving us the opportunity to change our lives for the better.

Reflecting upon how grateful I am for God’s love, my family, the strength to get out of my comfort zone, the blessing of meeting such amazing people in my life and for the opportunity to go to Nicaragua with Color My World Kids. What a special experience for our family. One we will treasure forever in our hearts. We love our friends in Nicaragua and Color My World! Thank you for such a beautiful week.

{Written by Diane Ferre}

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By SIMON RIOS
Union Leader Correspondent
August 13. 2012 10:21PM

Chase Hughes is surrounded by young residents of Bajo Tejares, San Ramon, Costa Rica. Hughes served a humanitarian mission in Costa Rica as part of his Eagle Scout project for Troop 388. (COURTESY)

BEDFORD — Not many Boy Scouts achieve the honor of being an Eagle Scout. When Chase Hughes traveled to San Ramon, Costa Rica, to deliver hygiene kits to a Mormon mission there, he was on his way to achieving that lifelong goal.

“I want to be remembered as a hard worker and a good student and citizen,” said Hughes, 15, who will celebrate his new rank at the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manchester on Sunday.

Hughes, who will enter Trinity High School as a freshman this fall, said his favorite part of being a Scout was learning preparedness, wilderness survival and first aid.

A member of Bedford Boy Scout Troop 388, Hughes earned 38 merit badges — though just 21 are required — in addition to his service project. An Eagle Scout must pass through the six ranks and serve six months in a troop leadership position before being approved by the Eagle Scout review board.

Hughes plans to attend the Boy Scout National Jamboree in West Virginia next year, and aspires to advance to senior patrol leader. “I will continue to earn merit badges because they teach you life skills and help you become fluent in many areas of life,” he wrote in an email.

Humanitarian work will be central to Hughes’ future, he said. In 2000, the Hughes family started Color My World, a Bedford nonprofit organization centered around helping young people get involved in service work. He plans to remain active with the group, and encourage his friends to do the same.

“The pinnacle of Scouting for me is not really being an Eagle Scout, but what you do with your life after as a result of the program,” he said. In addition, he wants to work in aeronautics.

For Hughes, the hardest experience in Scouting came in the form of the yearly Klondike Derby, a camping trip in the middle of winter in the woods.

“It takes a lot of effort and time,” he said. “You have to be mentally prepared because you are freezing and usually wet. I know now I could probably really survive in an emergency situation.”

Hughes’ Eagle Scout project consisted of collecting and packing 150 hygiene kits, which he delivered to Faithful Servants Mission in Bajo Tejares, San Ramon, Costa Rica. The town is populated by impoverished Nicaraguan immigrants, largely marginalized by Costa Rican society. He worked with various local organizations — from the Bedford Little League to the Bedford Women’s Club to the Mormon church.

In June 2011, he traveled to Costa Rica, where he enjoyed bonding with the children on the basketball court.

With the money left over from his fundraising, Hughes bought sports equipment for the children in Bajo Tejares.

The Eagle Scout is proud to share the designation with such figures as President Gerald Ford, Neil Armstrong, Steven Spielberg and former FBI Director William Sessions — just a few of the more than 2 million Eagle badge recipients since 1912.

“Now, I feel a little more responsibility to give to others and make a difference in the life of someone,” Hughes wrote, offering a bit of wisdom to younger Scouts. “Go on as many campouts as you can and learn all of the advance skills taught to you — most of all have fun.”

According to the Boy Scouts of America, in 2011, 51,473 Scouts earned the rank of Eagle Scout, or about 5 percent of Scouts.

Chase’s father, Brian Hughes, said he’s happy his son finished his Eagle early.

“We are encouraging him now to spend the next several years working on merit badges that will expose him to career opportunities, continue to work with his troop and develop leadership skills by working with younger Scouts.”

Hughes will be recognized in Court of Honor ceremonies on Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manchester.

The post Bedford Boy Scout achieves top rank of Eagle Scout appeared first on Color My World.

By SIMON RIOS
Union Leader Correspondent

BEDFORD — Not many Boy Scouts achieve the honor of being an Eagle Scout. When Chase Hughes traveled to San Ramon, Costa Rica, to deliver hygiene kits to a Mormon mission there, he was on his way to achieving that lifelong goal.

“I want to be remembered as a hard worker and a good student and citizen,” said Hughes, 15, who will celebrate his new rank at the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manchester on Sunday.

Hughes, who will enter Trinity High School as a freshman this fall, said his favorite part of being a Scout was learning preparedness, wilderness survival and first aid.

A member of Bedford Boy Scout Troop 388, Hughes earned 38 merit badges — though just 21 are required — in addition to his service project. An Eagle Scout must pass through the six ranks and serve six months in a troop leadership position before being approved by the Eagle Scout review board.

Hughes plans to attend the Boy Scout National Jamboree in West Virginia next year, and aspires to advance to senior patrol leader. “I will continue to earn merit badges because they teach you life skills and help you become fluent in many areas of life,” he wrote in an email.

Humanitarian work will be central to Hughes’ future, he said. In 2000, the Hughes family started Color My World, a Bedford nonprofit organization centered around helping young people get involved in service work. He plans to remain active with the group, and encourage his friends to do the same.

“The pinnacle of Scouting for me is not really being an Eagle Scout, but what you do with your life after as a result of the program,” he said. In addition, he wants to work in aeronautics.

For Hughes, the hardest experience in Scouting came in the form of the yearly Klondike Derby, a camping trip in the middle of winter in the woods.

“It takes a lot of effort and time,” he said. “You have to be mentally prepared because you are freezing and usually wet. I know now I could probably really survive in an emergency situation.”

Hughes’ Eagle Scout project consisted of collecting and packing 150 hygiene kits, which he delivered to Faithful Servants Mission in Bajo Tejares, San Ramon, Costa Rica. The town is populated by impoverished Nicaraguan immigrants, largely marginalized by Costa Rican society. He worked with various local organizations — from the Bedford Little League to the Bedford Women’s Club to the Mormon church.

In June 2011, he traveled to Costa Rica, where he enjoyed bonding with the children on the basketball court.

With the money left over from his fundraising, Hughes bought sports equipment for the children in Bajo Tejares.

The Eagle Scout is proud to share the designation with such figures as President Gerald Ford, Neil Armstrong, Steven Spielberg and former FBI Director William Sessions — just a few of the more than 2 million Eagle badge recipients since 1912.

“Now, I feel a little more responsibility to give to others and make a difference in the life of someone,” Hughes wrote, offering a bit of wisdom to younger Scouts. “Go on as many campouts as you can and learn all of the advance skills taught to you — most of all have fun.”

According to the Boy Scouts of America, in 2011, 51,473 Scouts earned the rank of Eagle Scout, or about 5 percent of Scouts.

Chase’s father, Brian Hughes, said he’s happy his son finished his Eagle early.

“We are encouraging him now to spend the next several years working on merit badges that will expose him to career opportunities, continue to work with his troop and develop leadership skills by working with younger Scouts.”

Hughes will be recognized in Court of Honor ceremonies on Aug. 19, at 7 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manchester.

srios@newstote.com

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