by Luke Derksen
My name is Luke Derksen, and I am 17 years old.
I had the privilege to come over from the Netherlands and help out at the kennels of Noahs ARC Mazarron for a week.
My goal was to gain work experience and stimulate my personal development in terms of responsibility and independence, but I left with so much more!
During my time at the kennels, I learned how all these amazing people volunteering at Noahs ARC keep the kennels and shops running.
These good-hearted people come in every day to walk, feed, clean, and play with these scared, often injured dogs, and transform them into well-behaved, loving companions.
They showed me what they do, and I got to lend them a hand.
I took some of the dogs out for a walk and gave them all the attention they deserved while taking pictures for the website to capture their joy and beauty.
One evening, I was invited to come over and help with the feeding. We went from dog to dog, all wagging their tails in pure joy. They all captured my heart.
It’s crazy how fast you get attached to these dogs, making it hard for me to leave them at the end of the week.
As someone who is still in school, I learn about all the bad things happening in this world. Sometimes, people can seem so cruel, and the future can look quite unsure.
But seeing the volunteers of Noahs ARC put in so much effort to get these dogs off the streets and seeing how they give them so much love and attention truly reminded me that good people do exist.
They are making the change we need to combat the brutalities we too often encounter, and they inspire me to do the same.
If you are looking for something meaningful to do, please consider helping out at the kennel or at one of the stores, even if it’s just once in a while.
Change starts with you.
And if you are looking for a dog to adopt, don’t hesitate;
go and have a look at Noahs ARC.
These dogs don’t just need a home, they deserve one!
What a lovely lad you are Luke and a great example to others! It was a pleasure to meet you š
Glad you enjoyed your time here and we really appreciate all your help and hard work.
– Paula
What a lovely boy , it was a pleasure to meet him and such kind words
– Kiron
What a lovely boy , it was a pleasure to meet him and such kind wordsā¤ļø
– Katrina
Wonderful words and photos. It was a pleasure meeting you, Luke. You were very kind and helpful and so good with the dogsā¤ļø
– Anne
What a pleasure to meet you Luke, your time spent with the dogs was truly impactful, giving them confidence and showing them love, that’s what volunteering is all about!we look forward to seeing you again , if any one reading this article would like to volunteer at the kennels or would like to foster or adopt a dog please contact us via the website it really is worthwhile experience.
– Tina
