In this fast-paced world we live in, all too commonly do we forget to take a step back and be thankful for what we have. Whether it is material possessions or personal relationships, everyone can agree that many times we overlook the abundance of blessings that have been acquired over time. So how do we step back become thankful? How can someone put their life into perspective in order to realize that, relative to their upbringing, they are extremely blessed? For me, one mission trip that my family took together forever changed the way I view material possessions, and positively altered the way in which I value relationships.
I still remember my uneasy thoughts and concerns that rushed through my head as I was being told about the potential mission trip to Guatemala. Questions concerning where we would stay, how long we would be there, and the kind of work that would be done were taking reign of my thoughts, and I immediately began focusing on myself instead of the potential lives changed, and communities that could be positively impacted. I look back extremely thankfully however, because that week of my life positively changed me in a few crucial ways.
It improved my outlook on work, and my work ethic as a whole.
While in Guatemala, one of the most difficult yet important jobs we were assigned was building houses for families from the ground up, while using nothing but cement, tin walls, and simple wood. In order to see the final result, these jobs took several days, many hands-on workers, and willingness to get extremely dirty while doing so, yet there was one factor that never ceased to amaze me: each and every time we would assist a family in building them a home, a few members from that family in need were always working there right beside us, taking any order or job they were given with the biggest smile on their face. I remember being in awe as I watched the mother of many young children hold an umbrella over someone during a torrential downpour, just so the worker could see a little more clearly the task he was trying to accomplish, and so the job would be done more efficiently. It was incredible to see how this woman, and everyone from the area who was in need, would work day and night to assist us in anything that we needed with no other obligation. This made me realize how truly thankful these families are, and how by having the right mindset while working, even in wildly inclement weather in the pitch dark, a little bit of effort to get the job done can abundantly bless those in need.
It changed the way I value relationships.
When we weren't working on building houses, part of our day consisted of taking care of young kids at a local, very rundown orphanage. These kids were always there for negative reasons, whether it was being abandoned, the death of parents, or government intervention that broke the family apart, but I immediately noticed one aspect of the orphanage that amazed me, and to an extent that I have never experienced in my entire life: the relationships and connections that were being made with the incredibly unfortunate kids were the deepest of any I had ever seen. It epitomized the sad truth that when we are moving at the speed that our busy lives require, we so often forget to place value and care on those who we are interacting with. I have yet to see another bond between two people, whether it was orphan to orphan, or a worker with an orphan, that is as strong as those that I witnessed that week, and it made me realize how often we fail to value the things in life that are actually important
The trip changed my priorities and the way that I look at material possessions.
This day and age we are constantly told over and over again to consume, buy, and store as much and as many things as we can. Why is this mentality the front runner of our lives if it leads to emptiness? If there are people substantially worse off than us, shouldn’t we be thankful for what we actually do have instead of focusing on what we don’t? This was epitomized to me when I saw the kids and parents, who almost had literally nothing to their name, happier and full of more joy that I could ever imagine. I remember breaking a pair of my headphones that I brought on the plane ride and at least for a brief moment letting that anger take away from my happiness of being in one of the most beautiful places in the world, while getting the opportunity to help those in need. I quickly looked around however and was hit in the face with the reality that minuscule things such as broken electronics cannot trump the fact that I was still blessed, and was there to serve those around me. From that moment on I began to actually enjoy the trip sincerely, simply because I finally understood that the memories I was making, the lives I was hopefully changing, and the people I was connecting with was of far more importance than a pair of headphones, or any material possession for that matter.
Whether you have religion as your drive or simply want to help those in need, taking a trip such as mine will greatly change your outlook on life in more ways to count. I can still see the mountains of Guatemala fade off behind us as our plane made its way back to America, and having the worst, deepest feeling in my stomach as we left. I wanted to stay and keep experiencing the gratitude, love, and determination that the people of Guatemala showed me, but instead spend every day of my life trying to reflect those actions here at home.
