Like me, I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials of the children in poverty stricken areas with their frail bodies, frowns on their face and look of desperation in their eyes. Your heart bleeds and you feel sorry for them, then the commercial is over and you’re now watching one with the cute Charmin toilet paper bears on it and you go about your life.
One of my mom’s best friends from college, packed all of her belongings along with her husband and two young daughters and moved to Monjas, Guatemala to start up what is now called Shadow of His Wings Orphanage 1:27 Missions Project which cares for orphans and widows in dire need. If a family of four can go through such drastic measures to help others, I can certainly volunteer for a few days or weeks.
Since I was younger, I have wondered what it would be like to visit one of those countries, and dreamed about the ways I could put a smile, even if temporary, on those children’s faces. What it would feel like to hug them and show them, love, feed them more than a piece of bread they usually dine on and teach them something they have never learned for the very first time. These are the reasons I have decided I will, one day, go on a missionary project and I think you should do the same.
1. An orphanage relies on people like you and me, to help these children learn from our knowledge, skills, talents and interest.
More important, they need our love, friendship, and companionship. We had years of free education in our public school system and probably complained about it more than once, it’s time we pay it forward.
2. A majority of us take life for granted.
We were born privileged. We are all fed daily, housed with heat and air condition, are surrounded by friends and family who love and cherish us, and we always want more. We know what it’s like to be consoled when we are sad and have often heard the words I love you! What if you had nothing and didn’t know where your next meal was coming from, had nobody to teach you right from wrong, and didn’t know what love was. You could be a friend to someone who may have never had one, the teacher to the child who can’t speak, and the one person to give a number of families the hope they have never had.
3. It looks great on your resume.
I’m not saying do this for that reason though if it will get you out there helping then so be it. How impressive is it that you took your time to travel across the world to nurture and give to others. The amazing scenery you will take in, and you will be experiencing something a great many of others will never have the opportunity to say they experienced. Sure, you could go to Cabo or Paris, but giving your valuable time to serve others will impress employers and show them a piece of who you really are.
4. Do it for you!
Nothing could possibly make you appreciate the life you have or value the relationships around you more than an adventure like this. I can’t imagine the world around you would ever be the same as it is now, but more beautiful, peaceful and fulfilled!
Do the research and get inspired. I doubt you will see one, out of tons of people who go on missionary projects every year, saying they wished they had not done it.
