I spent a week in Guatemala and it changed my life.

I would have never imagined that in the mountains of Chichicastenago with dozens of perfect strangers, I would feel so happy and more like myself than have in a while. For one of the first times in my life, I felt like I was doing something meaningful and truly making an impact on others lives, through simply showing God’s love and being the “manos de Jesus.”

I’ve known for a long time that going on a mission trip was something I wanted to do—not for a particular reason, but mostly to experience another culture and help people in some way. I know several people from church who have gone on missions and all seemed to have a great experience, so I wanted that too. Selfishly, I wanted a great experience for myself. But it became so much more than that.

I signed up for the Guatemala trip through PC3 randomly, choosing it only because it worked out with my summer schedule. I signed up not knowing anybody on the team and not having any clue what to expect. I imagined that we’d be “roughing it”, sleeping on dirt floors, eating bad food, and working long hard days… but to my pleasant surprise, the picture I had in my mind was nothing like what it turned out to be. Our team stayed on a beautiful property called “Monte Flor,” where we were surrounded by the amazing Pray America staff who treated us like family.

In an area ridden with those who have so little, yet love so much, I was blown away by the joy and happiness I saw from every Guatemalan we encountered, especially the kids. Every one had such a sweet spirit. Our main mission tasks were to build four homes for widows, install efficient wood burning stoves, and provide a source of clean drinking water through a filtration system. We also visited three different children’s feeding centers where we were able to play and interact with the kids as well as worship with them during their Bible study.

I loved seeing the children’s faces light up when we waved at them from the back of a moving pickup truck. I loved their contagious laughs when we played soccer or blew bubbles or took “selfies” with them. I especially loved witnessing the compassion older siblings showed to the younger ones in so many ways, whether it was helping them eat at the feeding centers, putting on their hats, or holding hands to walk home.

Although there were minor challenges, such as the language barrier between us and the Guatemalans or the fact that I’ve never picked up a hammer in my life, I discovered that God has the power to guide us down unfamiliar paths and give us strength in our uncertainty. Through his love, we were able to communicate with the widows and children in tangible ways.

One of the most amazing parts was the immense amount of joy that these people had and the graciousness they displayed, even when they had close to nothing. Every build that we went out on, the family we provided the house for offered us bread, soda or fruit as a means of saying thank you, even though it was a free gift from God. One of my favorite parts of the trip was watching the communication during the house dedication: One of us prayed in English, Eddy translated to Spanish, and Jose translated to “K’iche” for the family to understand. I also loved watching the Guatemalans kick our butts in soccer.

Before going, I viewed Guatemala as a casual trip, packing and fundraising last minute and not spending much time thinking about it up until the morning I actually left. But it has turned into so much more than just a one-time trip for me. My heart longs to go back to Guatemala as soon as possible.

A common misconception among people is that Americans are so vastly different from those living in a country like Guatemala. I don’t agree with this. We are all people, living on the same Earth, who have all felt happy, sad, angry, peaceful, scared or excited. Just because people live a different lifestyle, it doesn’t make them that much different from us. I think it’s easier to feel God’s presence when you’re in a new place, surrounded by Christians and breathtaking views. However, the real challenge is to try and live a life of Christ in your everyday life. I want to remember what God has taught me on the trip and apply it in as many ways as I can.

I miss saying “Hola” to my new Guatemalan friends. I miss having "picamas” with every meal. I miss seeing a family tear up when they hear a Bible story for the first time. I miss watching the sunset with my team and thinking just how blessed we are.

The days seemed longer and simpler in Guatemala, even a little more beautiful. I think that everyone should go on a mission trip to experience this feeling of pure joy. I can’t wait to go back to Guatemala one day.