A Little Over a Month Before I Leave for "The Ranch"

On May 15th, I will board a train in Los Angeles, California and set out on a 54 hour journey to Little Rock Arkansas. From there, I will catch a ride an hour and a half away, to a little place called Perryville. From May 18th until August 15th, I will live and work as a resident volunteer on the 1,500 acres that is Heifer International's Learning Center or "Heifer Ranch."

Heifer International is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1944 by Dan West, with the goals of “Ending Hunger and Caring for the Earth.”

Dan West served as a relief worker, feeding hungry children during the Spanish Civil War
The rations of milk that he was giving out was not enough to fulfill the profound need of the people who were dying off in large numbers due to starvation. Dan West said, "These children don't need a cup, they need a cow!"

With that in mind, West Returned home to form Heifers for Relief, whose goal was to provide the starving families with livestock and training to enable impoverished people to lead sustainable and dignified lives.

In 1944, West started donating heifers to needy families, who would in turn agree to donate the offspring of the donated cow to another needy family, thus “pass[ing] on the gift” so that the gift of food is never ending. The goal of Heifer International is much like the old proverb; Give a person a fish, them for a day. Teach a person to fish, they can feed their self for a lifetime.

Heifer International's Headquarters is located in Little Rock, AK and has provided aid to families in need in over 120 Countries for almost 60 years.

As a summer resident volunteer, I will "help carry out Heifer's mission by facilitating educational programs, assisting with farm operations, hosting drop-in guests and filling vital administrative roles."

It is going to be a huge adjustment going from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood to rural Perryville, Arkansas and the farm life on Heifer Ranch, but it is an experience that I am very much looking forward to and believe it will be an educational and spiritual experience of a lifetime.

While there, I will keep a daily journal, that I will publish to my blog every night with photos and videos of my experiences on the ranch and more information about Heifer International and the work that they do both domestically and abroad.

Cheers.