Volunteer

Until May 2008 I was a tenured professor of political science at a major public research university. In other words, I had the last entirely bomb-proof job in the world. And I quit in the face of the worst economic downturn since 1929. All of my colleagues thought I was crazy. People my age are supposed to be squirreling away as much money as possible for the trials of retirement, not committing their life’s savings to starting a shoe string nonprofit in a foreign land. Am I crazy?

No. I am not crazy. And whether you are a college student, an un- (or under-) employed recent graduate, a burnt-out professional or a bored retiree, you would be crazy not to join me.

I am not going to preach at you about what you owe your fellow man. That’s your personal business and at Warm Heart don’t tell people how they ought to lead their lives. Nope, I’m going to tell you why you should want to volunteer at Warm Heart for purely selfish reasons. The bottom line is really simple: you only pass this way once and if you don’t live your life to the fullest, then you’ve let yourself down.

Now, if your life is full to bursting, you don’t need Warm Heart. But if your retirement is limited by a lack of challenges or a shrunken budget, if your career has you ready to shoot yourself or (better) your boss, if you’ve been laid off before you could even begin your career or can’t find a job that uses your hard-earned degree – then look hard at Warm Heart, really hard. And, no, the reason isn’t simply because volunteering at Warm Heart is better than the pain and boredom you are currently suffering. The reason is that volunteering at Warm Heart will make you a better person. How’s that for a claim?

But think about it. Warm Heart is half way around the world. We live in a gorgeous place that could not be more different that where you are – the smells, tastes and sounds of our Phrao are out of this world. We live in the midst of Hill Tribes in fantastic costumes, monks in saffron robes, the brilliant green of rice seedbeds and the red of flame trees. Housing is cheap, food is cheap, great medical care is cheap. We are surrounded by national parks and cultural attractions. Immersing yourself here is like nothing you’ve ever done before – and you don’t want to die not having entered into another culture the way you will working at Warm Heart.

Of course, it’s not all about fun. You will work plenty hard. But you’ll enjoy that, too. We are a very small organization and we do not have the time or energy to supervise anyone. We are not interested in general volunteers of the “paint the church basement” variety. There are no basement painting jobs at Warm Heart. There are only big and exciting ideas and possibilities that require smart and creative people to grab hold of and make happen.

If you are a take charge sort of person who has a high tolerance for ambiguity, deals well with set-backs and changes of plan (in Thailand nothing stays the same), if you are entrepreneurial and a natural experimenter who works well in small teams and likes participating in the cross-fire of hot round table discussions of project plans, then you’re a perfect Warm Heart volunteer. If you are not, you best stay clear.

So why volunteer at Warm Heart? Because it will plunge you into a new culture and into a new world of intense work with others who are passionate about their projects. You really will be different when you leave because of what you personally made happen in this poor community.

And when you leave you will leave with a portfolio – a completed project that means something, whether just to you or as proof-positive to that perfect employer that confirms that you are all that you say you are. I mean let’s be real. Anybody can get an “A” in school by being a weenie, but in the real world of Warm Heart, you have to deliver the real deal. Employers understand that. Think of Warm Heart as the Peace Corps without the parachute.

I can’t wait to put you to work.