BIWA Spring Charity Event

One of the things I am vary involved with here in Busan (in addition to PTA, child-rearing, etc) is the Busan International Women's Association. It is a fantastic group of women from countries all over the world that meet together for friendship and service. BIWA offers book groups, chances to practice English, learn German, spruce up your Japanese. There is a mahjong group, visits to local temples, shopping trips, and monthly lunches and coffees. To me, the most important aim of BIWA is the service rendered in the community. BIWA regularly works with a local orphanage, with groups of women volunteering to play with children on a weekly basis. BIWA also supports several charities and individuals in the Busan community. We support a local Village of Peace, a center caring for handicapped and homeless persons, we support a soup kitchen, and a few different shelters. BIWA also supports financially three different students making their way out of poverty and through school. This group has honestly been such a great example to me of how involved you can be, and the good that can come from it. The amount of money BIWA is able to contribute back into this community is impressive.

This year the spring charity event was an evening of wine and jazz at a local hotel. It was a fancy dinner, drinks on a balcony with breathtaking views, a silent auction, and a fun evening to celebrate all the good BIWA has done with all the friends we have made. So we booked ourselves a babysitter and enjoyed a very fun grown-up evening out!

Our friends Chris and Carol Cruz. He's the US Navy Commander here in Busan. Their kids are also at BFS. Their youngest Jake has made frequent appearances on this blog. He and Hannah are best little buddies. We like the Cruzs a lot. They are one of the highlights of Busan for us!

Part of the reason we enjoy their company. Chris is hilarious. They are a lot of fun.