Work Camp 2026: Fifteen Days to Give of Ourselves

For yet another year—making it twelve in a row—the Nuestra Señora de las Escuelas Pías School in Aluche has once again opened its doors to host the Work Camp. For fifteen days, this place became our home, the space where five members of the coordination team and ten volunteers—who came from Santander, Vitoria, Albacete, and Madrid—shared an experience that will leave a lasting impression.

Our volunteers had the opportunity to collaborate with three organizations: the Itaka-Escolapios Urban Camp, the Escolapias’ Paula Montal Program, and the Salesian center Pan Bendito, with which we’ve been working hand in hand for some time now. Three different organizations, but with the same goal: to put the children at the center and give them the best of ourselves.

The experience began with a first weekend dedicated to getting to know one another, building team spirit, and preparing for everything that lay ahead. Through various training sessions and group activities, we became increasingly aware of the responsibility we were taking on and the privilege of being able to serve through closeness, active listening, and care.

Then came the two weeks of work—intense and full of life. Each morning was set aside to spend time with the children at the various organizations, where our fatigue melted away as soon as the games, laughter, and hugs began. In the afternoons, we continued to grow as volunteers thanks to various training sessions and testimonies that helped us better understand the reality around us and gave us the tools to continue supporting them with love and commitment.

And when the day drew to a close, we always found a moment to pause. Prayer and shared reflection allowed us to entrust everything we had experienced to God, give thanks for the encounters of the day, and discover how He continued to make Himself present in every person and every story.

During those two weeks, there was also time to rest. The weekend in Cercedilla gave us a breather, but above all, it allowed us to continue building the family that, almost without our realizing it, had been forming since the very first day. Sharing, laughing, going for walks, and simply being together helped our bonds grow even stronger.

Now that the Work Camp is coming to an end, all that remains is to say thank you. Thank you to the Nuestra Señora de las Escuelas Pías School in Aluche for welcoming us, once again, with such generosity. Thank you to the organizations for opening their doors to us and allowing us to learn alongside them. Thank you to the coordination team for all the work, time, and care dedicated to making this experience a success.

And, above all, thank you to our incredible team of volunteers. Thank you for your dedication, for your unconditional love, for your willingness to serve, and for lowering yourselves—just as Calasanz did—to the level of the little ones. You have shown, once again, that when you give your life for others, everything makes sense, and that, deep down, it’s worth it to be a little crazy.