by Bernadette Tan
HKIS family trip – June 11-14
On the day after First Grade let out for summer vacation, a group of five HKIS students headed out to Dumaguete City, Philippines with their parents on a service trip with ICM. The group of friends spent 4 days building container gardens, painting a school and serving nutritious food to children in slum communities. For many HKIS parents, the topic of privilege and concerns about kids living in a bubble has initiated a demand for meaningful experiences for their children.
When asked if her daughter “got it”, June admitted that Eva was more caught up in being with her friends and doing something fun together. But she felt confident that by exposing Eva to the way people live in different countries, Eva will have first-hand experience that will surface as a memory as she gets older and begins to understand socioeconomic differences. June plans to repeat this kind of a trip regularly and encourage Eva to continually think about how she can help.
What started out as an extended play date for summer vacation turned out to be a profound bonding experience for this group of young minds and a personal journey for each individual family.
By Carrie Chen, Director, Donor Relations ICM
About the Author
Bernadette Tan
Deputy Director of Communications
Bernadette is a communications graduate who has spent the past 20 years serving in various international non-profits. She is a passionate storyteller and an eternal optimist.
Bernadette loves spending time in disadvantaged communities, listening to families, and giving them a voice through her writing.
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