I have attended private school since I was five. From wearing polos and khakis, to attending weekly in-school church services and daily religion classes, I am a Catholic schoolboy through and through. When it came time to choosing where to attend college, I continued the private school trend by attending Waynesburg University, a small, Christian school in southwestern Pennsylvania. Although the days of wearing school-embroidered polos to classes are long gone, some of the same principles that were taught at my grade school and high school still apply at my college.
A running theme at every school I have attended is the importance of service. Ever since I can remember, a community service project was always incorporated somehow into the curriculum. All students were even required to serve a certain number of hours throughout the year. At the time, I didn’t think much of serving. It was more or less something I was needed to do to fulfill a requirement, not so much a rewarding experience for me.
This all changed my junior year of college.
My university requires students to complete service hours during one semester in exchange for credit. To help us achieve this, the university offers a number of domestic and international mission trips for students to partake in during the fall, winter, spring and summer breaks. My academic department offers an international mission trip every January to Bonaire, an island in the Caribbean, where we have the opportunity to serve Trans World Radio (TWR), a Christian international radio broadcast station, in a variety of communication capacities. Although it is made up of dedicated and passionate employees, the station in Bonaire is short-staffed and is in constant need of volunteers to help broadcast to the world.
As a public relations student, this trip was right up my alley. I not only wanted to complete my service requirement for my school, but it was also a way for me to escape shoveling snow off my driveway in Pennsylvania for a week and embrace the warm weather on the island.
I will be the first to admit: it seemed like I was going for all of the wrong reasons. Mission trips are a time for self-reflection. People tend to go on a mission trip to become a better individual. However, these were not my initial intentions when signing up.
To make a long story short, I went on that mission trip in January 2015, and it changed my life. I came back with a brand new attitude and outlook on life. The experiences, memories and the people I met while in Bonaire are things I will cherish forever. It changed my life so much that I signed up for the 2016 mission trip a few weeks after returning home. This time, however, I signed up for the right reasons.
After participating in this mission trip for a second time and having a lot of time to reflect on both experiences, I realized how remarkable mission trips are. You not only get the opportunity to serve others, but you learn so much about yourself in the process. Here are reasons why you should sign up for the next mission trip your church or school is sponsoring.
1. You'll immerse yourself in a new culture
Whether you are in a third-world country or at a local soup kitchen, serving allows individuals to experience a culture different from their own. For me, I got to live on an island for nine days where there is no hot water, limited Wi-Fi access and few places with air conditioning. Although these conditions were not something I necessarily favor, having to adjust to the culture in Bonaire allowed me to gain a broader perspective on the world and the people outside of my small bubble. Seeing how the island locals and the radio station missionaries operate opened my eyes to a whole new world I was unfamiliar of.
2. You'll make lasting friendships
Going on the first mission trip to Bonaire, I only knew about two other people going on the trip well enough to call them my friends. When I returned, I made 12 new close friends who now I can consider family. In fact, four students who went on that first trip joined me in returning for a second year. We made even more unforgettable memories and bonded with the newcomers, who I know consider family as well. To this day, I am in a daily group message with my 2016 mission trip family and we eat a meal together at least once a week. Not everyone will be as lucky as I was, but I guarantee you will make great friendships with the people going.
3. You'll get a taste of selflessness
Unfortunately, we live in a selfish world. Our actions are driven by greed and a sense of entitlement, leaving little time to think about others. When serving on a mission trip, that selfish attitude seems to disappear. I realized early on during my first mission trip that there are so many more problems in this world other than my selfish woes. There are bigger issues than forgetting my iPhone charger or having slow Netflix connection. All of my matters seemed to be put on hold while serving, and I began to think more like a selfless person. I began to put others before myself, something I now try to continue to do every day.
4. You'll grow as a person
The best way to grow as a person is by doing something good for someone else. And last time I checked, doing something good for someone else is the reason why people go on mission trips. From my experiences, you will not return the same person you were when you left. As long as you go into the mission trip with an open heart and an open mind, I guarantee you will come out a stronger, well-rounded person.
5. You'll leave knowing you made the world a little better
Getting to use your gifts and talents to make an impact is something so gratifying, especially when you get to see it firsthand. Whether it is putting the last few touches on the house you helped build or recording the last radio liner that will be heard by millions of people, you finish your work knowing you made a positive effect on the world around you. It doesn’t matter if you are serving one person, a small family or an entire community, helping others will kindle happiness both for you and them.
