Alto Refugio: Volunteer Profile

The Alto Refugio website has a new section to display current volunteers. They asked me to write a testimony basically just saying why I was here and what I do at work. You can read it here or take a look at it on the actual website.

My name is Tim Regier. I have been volunteering at Alto Refugio (High Refuge) since the end of September, 2011. I am from the state of Kansas in the United States but I am here in Paraguay for 10 months doing voluntary service. I came with five other young people from the U.S. as part of a program of the Mennonite Mission Network.

I have felt called to serve my whole life. I’ve known for a while that I wanted to do a year of service after high school, but I did not know how or where. When I started looking at the options I had to choose between serving in the United States or abroad. I felt that being in a different culture with a different language would challenge me more, so I decided to leave the country. Mennonite Mission Network sent me to Paraguay, and I believe that my call here has been confirmed. It just happened that I ended up working here at Alto Refugio, the place that was started by David and Judy Schmidt, my relatives. I have seen the evidence of many of my relatives’ work here in Paraguay, and I feel that I am continuing my family’s connection with this country.

My work here at Alto Refugio is not strictly defined, but I always find places to plug in. In the mornings I do whatever is needed. This can be a number of things, including working in the pantry, carrying boxes, cleaning, or playing with the kids. In the afternoons I have been working on refining Alto Refugio’s website. I have always been interested in computers and I think this experience will help me decide whether it is something I am interested in studying in college.

One aspect of Alto Refugio that I really enjoy is the devotion in the morning. Every day, about half an hour before Alto Refugio opens its doors, some of the workers gather to sing, pray, read scripture and share together. Even though I sometimes am tired and have trouble focusing in the early morning, I appreciate the Christian focus and the sense of family the devotional creates. It allows us to start the day well, and to serve the patients as Christ would; as family.

-Tim