Jud Ballentine
The other day I was sitting in my office doing my everyday work: emailing, calling, writing and talking. I was a little bored and decided to take a break. My job is in administration and limits my interaction with the people that Common Hope serves. Thinking about this I decided it would  be a good idea to go downstairs and meet some people that were in the hallways.
I met quite a few. Along with the kids who wanted to be doctors and lawyers I met a 14 year old who wanted to be a rock star and admired the music of Guns ‘n’ Roses and Metallica. There was also a 15 year old girl who wanted to be a writer and had begun to create short stories in her spare time. I met another 14 year old boy who wanted to be the president of Guatemala so he could fix the country. I spoke with about ten in all, of various ages, and each one had a goal or a dream.
Meeting them made it easy for me to go back upstairs to my computer. It made me proud to volunteer for Common Hope, because we don’t just provide education, housing and healthcare to the financially poor. Our work makes the goals and dreams of the people we serve that much more possible.
Judson Ballentine will celebrate three years of service to our Antigua site at the end of this year. He is making plans to return to his native St. Paul, MN in January after serving as our warehouse manager, long term volunteer coordinator, and administrative assistant to Antigua’s site director over the course of his time with us.
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