This past Wednesday I had the awesome experience of volunteering
at the Hser Ner Moo Community Center in South Salt Lake. Going into this
experience I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that I would be helping out
with various youth activities, but other than that I had no idea what the
people were like, what the facility was going to be like, or what sort of
service I would be doing. I was definitely in for a pleasant shock. For a
little bit of background, The Hser Ner Moo Community & Welcome Center is
one of the 9 neighborhood sites of Promise South Salt Lake. It was created
after the tragedy that happened in March 2008. A little refugee girl from Burma
named Hser Ner Moo was found dead near her apartment after she went missing.
The Center was dedicated and is carrying her legacy to keep kids safe when they
are out of school and to help refugee and immigrant families integrate in their
new society. The Hser Ner Moo Community & Welcome Center empowers
immigrants and refugees through the process of successful integration by
facilitating access to resources, expanding networks and layers of service,
creating opportunities for leadership, and by providing relevant, responsive
services and support. When I went to the center this past Wednesday one of my
classmates and I had the opportunity to help refugee students with their biology
and math homework. It was so fun to be able to use the skills that I have been
working on in school for so long, to be able to reach out and pay it back to my
community. To go volunteer at the center there are no prerequisites other than
a background check. The experience is priceless and I plan to go back
frequently and really get involved. Not to be cliché, but it truly is a life
altering experience. When you are able to step out of your comfort bubble and
realize how much just a little bit of effort can change someones life, it
changes your outlook on your own life. As said in the Book of Mosiah in the
Book of Mormon, chapter 2, verse 17 “. . .When ye are in the service of your fellow
beings ye are only in the service of your God.”
To volunteer at the Hser Ner Moo Community and Welcome
Center contact:
Domoina Voniariso 801-466-3238
Raunde Everett 801-828-7245
Or by Email: hsernermoo@gmail.com
Or for many other great opportunites to work with refugees
in Utah:
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