Select to Care
A Volunteer Program for Medical Professionals
Do you have professional medical skills, a heart for people with disabilities, and time to serve Our Lord by serving those most in need? Join us by serving the Christian population in Bethlehem with a volunteer stay from 10 – 90 days.
Select to Care
A Volunteer Program for Medical Professionals
Do you have professional medical skills, a heart for people with disabilities, and time to serve Our Lord by serving those most in need? Join us by serving the Christian population in Bethlehem with a volunteer stay from 10 – 90 days.
What is Select to Care?
Select to Care is a Select to Give Foundation’s volunteer program which enables medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, dentists, and physical and occupational therapists, to volunteer their time and expertise to serve children with severe disabilities in Bethlehem, Palestine. Volunteer assignments range from a minimum of three weeks to three months.
Hogar Ninos Dios Children’s Home, situated near the Church of Nativity, is a home for around 30 severly disable Palestinian children and a few adults. The children range in age from babies to young adults. Many of the children have cerebral palsy and other severe neurological conditions that necessitate the use of wheelchairs. Some children have microcephaly, autism, Down’s syndrome, and genetic defects. Some have poor vision or hearing. Most do not speak. Half of the home’s residents cannot feed themselves, and most require considerable assistance in their daily living activities. Most are orphaned or abandoned.
Four sisters of the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word reside in the home, which was founded by their superior, Mother Maria Pia, in 2005. The sisters are the primary caregivers, assisted by lay staff who provide night-time supervision, meal preparation, cleaning, and playground supervision.
Select to Give Foundation has been donating funds for operational costs for Hogar Nino Dios since its founding in 2014. Many pilgrim groups traveling to the Holy Land have visited the home and brought much-needed supplies with them, especially Thick It, which the children need for feeding.
The sisters are grateful for the financial support and appreciate all the assistance the pilgrims have brought. They need more volunteers, especially medical experts who can work with the children.
The Select to Care volunteer program idea was born from the visit of a Select pilgrim, Elizabeth, who visited Hogar Nino Dios with a pilgrimage group in 2022. Elizabeth was so moved by what she experienced and her interaction with the kids that she decided to return to Bethlehem after her pilgrimage.
Elizabeth is a traveling nurse who has lived in Bethlehem on and off for almost two years. The volunteer program has changed her life dramatically, and Elizabeth has been instrumental in helping the children of Hogar Nino Dios live better lives.
Won’t you consider joining Elizabeth in helping the kids of Hogar Nino Dios orphanage?
What Types of Medical Professionals are Needed?
Teachers, physical therapists, and a speech therapist provide full-time services right in the home because most of the children are unable to attend school outside the home. Priests of the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word celebrate Mass in the home’s chapel, provide spiritual direction for the sisters, and interact regularly with the children. A local physician provides medical services weekly.
Volunteers, mostly Italian to date, assist the sisters in feeding, teaching, and playing with the children.
How Long Are Volunteer Assignments?
Volunteer assignments can range from a minimum of three weeks to three months, depending on your availability to ability stay in Bethlehem and the needs sister has for volunteers. Israeli travel visas are issued for three months maximum. We do not have programs shorter than three weeks.
How Does This Work?
If you have a servant’s heart, the experience we are looking for, good physical and mental health, and the ability to travel for an extended period of time, we encourage you to apply.
In addition to completing the Inquiry on this page, we will need to have your resume showing where you worked for the last ten years, your educational background, and your current employment status. We will need a letter explaining why you would like to volunteer and a timeline of your availability to travel and stay in Bethlehem. We will need to have three reference letters, two professional and one character reference. Also, we will need a letter from your parish priest confirming his recommendation and your suitability for this project and, finally, proof that you have completed a Church-approved Safe Environment Training.
We require these documents as the sisters have asked us to vet all volunteers to ensure professional suitability and kids safety. Once we receive all the documents from you we will review them and call you for a phone interview and to address any additional questions or concerns you may have.
All applicants must be approved by the Board of Hogar Nino Dios, who have the final say in who is accepted into the program.
What Is expected of me?
We are looking for medical professionals who can dedicate six days per week, at a minimum of eight hours per day, to working at Hogar Nino Dios with their staff to provide medical attention, therapy, training, and general help to the sisters and the local staff working with the children. Your duties may vary based on needs, so we appreciate your willingness to help the sisters as needed.
What Are My Responsibilities?
- You commit to volunteering at the direction of the Hogar Nino Dios staff. Please see the sections below for details regarding hours and assignments.
- You agree to serve in whatever capacity is needed each day. Regardless of your training and expertise, everyone at Hogar Nino Dios serves where they are needed most.
- You will be financially responsible for your food, housing, and any personal expenses while volunteering. Housing is available for as little as $10/day. The average salary in Bethlehem is $ 500.00 per month. Living expenses such as food and transportation are much lower than in the United States and should not exceed $ 500 per month
- You agree to abide by the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church while serving at Hogar Nono Dios.
Who Pays for My Expenses?
Select to Give Foundation will cover the expense of your airline round-trip ticket from the closest international airport to your home. A return ticket will have a set date. Select to Give will also cover your round-trip airport transfers from Tel Aviv Airport to Bethlehem. Our local administrator will help you settle in, and he will be your emergency contact.
Your out-of-pocket expenses are lodging, which should be less than $250.00 for three weeks or $300.00 for a month, food, local transportation, and personal expenses. You may wish to visit some local sites in the Holy Land while you are visiting, which would be out-of-pocket as well. We expect your total monthly expenses will be between $250- $750 USD total.
What does a day volunteering look like?
Every day is anything but typical. We have a set timed schedule but you don’t know what surprises you encounter, even in the schedule. Hogar Nino Dios is a home for children and adults who have different disabilities are are either abandoned or, due to different circumstances, cannot be with their family. Currently there are 38 beneficiaries ranging from 3-58 years old. Their disabilities include but are not limited to cerebral palsy, autism, down syndrome, schizophrenia, bipolar, hydrocephalus, and general mental retardation. The main languages spoken at the house are Arabic and Spanish. Italian is the third most common due to the amount of Italian volunteers that arrive monthly. Madre does speak English well and some of the priests. Some of the employees do know basic English so you are able to converse with them. Don’t let this frighten you away. Many of our children are nonverbal, so they can’t talk back, but they have ways of showing you what they want. If you do everything with love, you will have no problem connecting to the kids. With this array of disabilities and the amount of beneficiaries we have, there is a lot of work to be done, but there is also a lot of love to behold.
The children are at school from 8 am-11 am. Here, they learn according to their abilities. During this time there is also a physiotherapist that works with these kids. Sometimes, volunteers help with activities in the school. For therapists who are interested in volunteering, we hope to have you work alongside our physiotherapist. This will NOT be in an assistant way, but as your own entity so we can get two children’s sessions done in the time it normally takes them to complete one. Obviously, communication between the volunteers and the employees is a must so that the children will receive the most benefits.
After school, the children come upstairs to eat lunch. There is one sister who is in charge of the kitchen and assigns people with different children. Many of our children need someone to feed them because they suffer from cerebral palsy or other disabilities that affect their motor skills. After eating, everyone gets their diapers and clothes changed before laying down for a nap. At this time, there may be a sister in the bathroom with employees or volunteers bathing the children. We have a set and posted bathing schedule for every day of the week.
After all the children are done, the volunteers set the table for lunch with the sisters. At 1230 we eat all together. This is a great time to get to know more about the children, the sisters, and the other volunteers. At 1:30pm we have a siesta (napping encouraged) until 2. Then we wake and change all the children again. They are brought out into the salon and every girl gets her hair brushed. Then there is free time with the children until 4. Sometimes the sisters have other tasks they need help with, and so long as someone is with the children, the others can help them out. There are also children that go down to our pool for hydrotherapy sessions. At 4, its dinner time! It runs the same as lunch time. After dinner, you guessed it, changing time! Some of the bigger girls will be left in their beds due to the difficulty of transferring them back and forth from their beds to the chairs. The children will also have their teeth brushed at this time. With the remaining children we pray the rosary at 6pm. After the rosary, all the children are put in their beds and the remaining volunteers are free to go home.
Little caveats for the day. If you don’t know what youre supposed to do, just ask a sister. If there are no sisters around, just love the kids (and keep an eye on everyone). Seriously, some of them love hugs and kisses but cant ask you for them, and they all love any personal attention. The work is hard and tiring but you gain more than you can ever give. Final thought, and maybe most important. You are coming into a home, not an institution. Everyone inside, including you, is considered family so please love and treat them as such.
How did Select to Care Begin?
Select to Give has supported Hogar Nino Dios Home since our very beginning. The Religious Sisters in this home care for the least in Bethlehem: children (and some adults) with severe disabilities who have been abandoned or, for other reasons beyond their control, cannot return home. The care these beautiful souls would require is both costly and time-consuming, but Hogar Nino Dios never makes care a chore. This is a family, and they care for each other as a healthy family should.
In 2022, Elizabeth Wellendorf traveled on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land led by Jason Evert and arranged by Select International Tours. During the pilgrimage, the group visited Hogar Nino Dios, and Elizabeth was so moved that she decided she needed to return. You can read her story HERE.
Elizabeth returned for a three-month volunteer assignment and then another year. During her time there, she realized the need for volunteers with professional medical training. While everyone in the home receives excellent care, the Religious Sisters are not formally trained in medicine. With a robust medical volunteer program in place, everyone in Hogar Nino Dios could receive even better care.
When Elizabeth approached Select to Give with this opportunity, we knew that Our Lord continues to look over Bethlehem and was calling us to help care for least in his earthly birthplace. With that realization, we set out to begin Select to Care.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Daily Activities:
Where will I be serving?
Hogar Nino Dios is a home for disabled children and adults run by the religious family of the Verbo Incarnato. The beneficiaries have been abandoned or, due to circumstances, cannot be in the home with their families. Currently, there are 38 beneficiaries ranging from 3 to 58 years old.
What meaningful tasks will I be engaging in on a day-to-day basis?
The days revolve around the children. Some of them are “full care,” so you have to feed, clothe, and change their diapers because they are not able to do it for themselves. We also do different therapies with the kids, including physio, speech, occupational, and hydrotherapy. If you are not completing a specific task, you’re just loving and playing with the children.
Will I make a difference?
Of course! The difference might not be grand or visible, but there is something to be said about doing little things with great love. Even without words, these children know that you love them. They love you without words as well.
How long will I be working each day?
The volunteer day is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Depending on the needs, we will place you accordingly.
Is English spoken there? What language will be spoken?
Though not the main language, basic English is used. The local employees know basic English. Madre is proficient, one of the priests is fluent, and some of the other religious have a basic understanding. There may be volunteers from all over the world, and quite often, the common language is English. The main languages of the house are Arabic, Spanish, and Italian.
Where will I sleep?
The sisters have a volunteer house named Casa de San Jose, which is a 15-minute walking distance from the home. Here, there are shared bedrooms (male and female separated) with private showers in every room. There is a common dining area and a full-size kitchen. There is also wifi and laundry in the house.
How/when/what will I eat?
The sisters and the volunteers sit down at 1230-1:30 for lunch every day. Breakfast and dinner are on your own, but there is a grocery, produce stand, and butchery between the Hogar and Casa San Jose. There are also countless restaurants within walking distance if you want to try the local flavors.
How will I get around?
The volunteer home is within a 15-minute walk to Hogar. There are also grocery stores, a pharmacy, and a medical clinic within walking distance. To travel locally, there are taxis, and to travel farther (i.e., Jerusalem), there are bus lines.
Training and Certification:
What special training is required before I arrive?
No special training is required. There will be a debrief with a current volunteer where she will give you more information on what to expect.
What skills or certifications are you looking for in volunteers?
We would love for anyone who feels called to come. It is hard work, and you are on your feet most of the time, so please take that into consideration. Currently, we really lack medical help. This includes doctors, nurses, and therapists (occupational, physical, speech, etc.).
Travel and Volunteer Assignments:
How long do you need me to stay? What is the maximum time I can stay?
The normal length for a short-term volunteer is 10 days, and a long term is anywhere from 1 month to 3 months. Normally, the sisters would like volunteers to have a “trial run” in the house for 2 weeks, but longer lengths of stay can be proposed to their volunteer board.
What will Select to Give pay for, and what is out of my pocket?+
Select to Give will provide roundtrip airfare and ground transfers from Tel Aviv for your volunteer assignment. You will be responsible for your food, housing, and personal expenditures while volunteering.
Who will make the reservations for me?
Select to Give will arrange your flights and transfers. You will need to secure entry visas (if required) and make arrangements for your stay.
Do I need to get a visa? Where do I get one? How much does it cost?
Israel is introducing a new policy called ETIAS that everyone who comes into the country needs to apply for before their arrival. The cost is nominal (about $7-8 USD). You will apply for a tourist visa that allows a maximum stay of 90 days.
How will I get home?
Select to Give will arrange your flights. Before you begin your volunteer assignment, you will have a round-trip ticket with a departure date.
Safety:
Is it safe for an American/woman to live in Bethlehem?
It is safe. The people are welcoming and hospitable. When you mention that you are a volunteer, they immediately consider you as part of the family and will do anything to help. Coming from a female volunteer- I feel more safe here walking alone at night than I do in the US.
Does Select to Give have anyone in Bethlehem who can help me in case of an emergency?
Select currently has a volunteer in the home that has been there for over a year. She plans to stay until August 2025. We also have locals that we work closely with.
What if I need medical treatment or have a medical emergency?
Thankfully, the home has a nurse present at all times and a doctor on call. If you get sick, the local pharmacist can prescribe antibiotics without going to the clinic. We also use a clinic for more serious issues: broken bones, respiratory issues, and even medical emergencies. There is also the possibility of crossing the border and going to Israel for treatment.
Do I need medical insurance?
Traveler medical insurance is recommended but not needed. Medical care is cheaper here than in the US. If you worry about a serious event (heart attack, stroke, etc.), we recommend getting insurance for Israel. Otherwise, minor things can be taken care of inexpensively in Bethlehem.
What happens if we need to evacuate?
Before traveling, register with the US embassy in Jerusalem with your intended length of stay. In case of emergency, they will give you all the information you need.
The sisters have many contacts in the surrounding area who could take you to the border or to the airport.
You will be in contact with Select to Give, who will help to arrange airfare if the situation demands it.
Free Time and Visitors:
Will I have time off to see sites, visit friends, etc.?
Due to the amount of help needed to care for the 38 beneficiaries, volunteers are assigned one free day a week.
Can my family visit me while I am there?
Your family is welcome to visit, but they must find their own lodging. Please notify the sisters before any guests come to the Hogar.
I have a spouse, friend, or family member who wants to travel with me but doesn’t want to serve. Can they stay with me?
No, they may not. The volunteer house has limited beds, so the sisters reserve them for volunteers only.
Money Matters:
How much money do I need to bring with me?
The cost of living is quite inexpensive here. Your lodging is only $10/night donation to the sisters, and then you have to account for food. You may spend $250 a month on food, including a few nights at restaurants. Most places accept credit cards, but you do need cash for the produce. There are also ATMs nearby that have minimal fees.
Are credit cards accepted? Dollars?
Credit cards are accepted at most places. The currency used locally is shekels. A money changer down the street offers the best exchange rate.
How do I apply?
Please begin by filling out the form below. Once we receive your complete application, an Onboarding Specialist will be in touch within 5 business days to arrange a phone call or video conference to go over the program in more detail and to answer your questions. In the meantime, please read through the Frequently Asked Questions above.