As we pulled into the Chosen Children Village, there was a collective feeling of anticipation and eagerness between the two of us. Any fear or anxiety flew out the window upon arrival into the office as the welcoming atmosphere and the friendly nature of Ms. Noreen at the front desk gave an immediate feeling of familiarity and acceptance. The tour (led by Ms. Noreen) was insightful and interesting as, cottage by cottage, we were filled in on the goings on in each, as well as the rules and regulations of the village and the specifics of our schedule.

The tasks that we were given seemed simple enough, but, as we later found out, they were quite challenging. More specifically, the assisting in the feeding of the children and the changing and washing of the babies (a BIG thanks to the mamas of Cottage 5 for their patience!) were, for us, the most challenging! But, we soon got into the swing of the things with much assistance from the staff and the kids. From feeding, to helping at the school, to working in the Arantza Rehabilitation Center, we found the work interesting and enjoyable, partly due to the village’s wonderful facilities and comfortable accommodation and largely due to the friendliness of the welcoming staff and the well-mannered and wonderful children.

Working at the Chosen Children Village has presented us with the wonderful opportunity of being able to learn first-hand about how the people living here work through their disabilities, making these disabilities obsolete. Through the systems implemented in the village each member of this large and caring family (the children call each other “brother” & “sister”, the caretakers and other staff members are called “mama” & “papa” and Mr. & Mrs. Fullerton are “Mommy” & “Daddy”) each child is free to express themselves and their different personalities within a structured and well-organized environment.

All in all, we have had a wonderful experience thanks to the opportunity given to us by the fabulous Mr. & Mrs. Fullerton. Every aspect of the Chosen Children Village Foundation has been organized by this wonderful couple, who are also a part of everyday life in the Village, eating with and visiting the children everyday. The Village has given us a true sense of fulfillment far beyond our expectations. So, thank you once again to the Fullertons for giving us the opportunity to work with the wonderful staff and children of the Village. You have turned “just fulfilling our community service requirements” into a truly Chosen experience.