A mission trip can be a terrific way for youth and teens to develop genuine relationships and create insightful learning connections. Mission trips will allow individuals to travel to foreign countries during a brief sabbatical from school or work and leave a lasting impression.
It may be surprising that a few weeks of time can make a huge difference in the lives of those in need while allowing people to experience a new culture.
This past summer, one of our own, senior Ben Ferris, embarked on a mission trip to El Salvador. Ferris told one story that stuck out to him saying he met a man who “was walking down the road and passed out due to an overdose. He was run over multiple times, breaking multiple bones.” He then went on to say that, “the only reason he is alive is because of God’s mercy and love.”
Ferris also spoke of an autistic boy from El Salvador. Due to the lack of resources or education, people don’t know how to support those with autism properly. This boy’s parents would tie him to a tree during the day, so he couldn’t hit anyone.
Ferris also met a lady in a little town called “The Tracks” who had lost everyone in her life other than one of her two sons. She had trash all throughout her house and could barely move around, but Ferris says she was one of the happiest people he has ever met. She showed him “that even in bad situations, it isn’t hard to happy, grateful, and kind.” These mission trips show that through any hardship, joy can be found.
Alumni Janel Galvanek, former cross country member and vice president of the theater club, said, mission trips have “taught me hard work.” Her experiences with mission trips influenced her work ethic and also future endeavors. In Galvanek’s senior year of high school, she met a German foreign exchange student who came to the high school. They became best friends., and Galvanek jokingly says she “blames” her for convincing her to move to Germany.
After teaching in Austria for two years, she moved back to Germany to attend college and get her masters in Peace Research and Security Policy. Galvanek calls her work “peacebuilding work” instead of humanitarian, and her main focus is Africa. Galvanek’s work has essentially changed her life, and she wouldn’t change it for the world.
No matter where a person goes, acting as a light in the world by giving of themselves through missions is bound to be a unique and life changing experience.
