"Peacemaking is my favorite part of Villa. By offering each guest a place within the community, none are alone in a strange land. When they are lonely or homesick- or get the flu, or learn a loved one has died, I get to hold their hands or bake them cookies or find the flu medicine or help them arrange an emergency plane ticket home. We also get to celebrate holidays, birthdays, small successes like making a first omelet or large successes such as a paper accepted for publication or a significant discovery that will advance the understanding of what enables a cancer cell to be so resilient. Villa is a gift to me. It enriches my life spiritually by letting me reflect the face of God to all God’s children who come to Villa, as best I know how with what energy I’ve got. I get to show compassion and be helpful. I get to play a role as a Christian that is much nicer than I am as my own person. I get to be a missionary. I get to show people throughout the world that Christians and Americans not only care about them, but respect their countries, their traditions, and their cultures. I also get to put Villa’s volunteers in touch with these folks. The volunteers who have so much love and caring for others get to share that love and caring with people far from home, who serve a higher calling of world health. If Villa manifests the fruits of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (not so much) then I get to have a part in that. Sometimes I get to share with our guests the faith that sustains me, but more often I get to make their lives more comfortable or happier. I get to share a homey atmosphere with them – and then I get to watch as they make it their home."
--Camille
