This past week I spent serving in the beautiful country of the Dominican Republic. The D.R. is a very complex country. You can go from white sand beach resorts to extreme poverty in a two mile span. I embarked on this mission trip with my college basketball team. While I had been on mission trips before this was my first one to the Dominican. While there, I learned three very important lessons I plan to hold onto far longer than the trip.
1. Our education is a gift, not a curse.
I'll admit it, there are times where I strongly dislike school, and I definitely take it for granted. For the kids of the Dominican Republic, school is an outlet. It is a way to get away from their current circumstances. Most of the kids in the schools we visited came from single family homes and lived in tin shacks where they were forced to adjust the roof when it rains so it doesn't get the one bed they all share wet. To these kids, school is a place of refuge. They get fed, they get taught, and they get loved on. Education is also their way to get out of the vicious cycle that is poverty. Reading, writing, and even learning English increase the chances of these kids have a better life immensely.
2. Just Trust God!
As a college student, I often struggle with trusting God with my life. I am hesitant to give my dreams and my plans over to him. I feel I can handle it or I need to handle it so it goes the way I want it to. We learned from one of the main teachers at one of the schools they are in constant survival mode. When they find out they have no more rice to feed the children tomorrow she says to the staff, "Don't ask me what to do; ask God!" They have never gone without food for the kids. That is faith in God, not only that he is good, but that he will never leave you nor forsake you.
3. Smiles are Universal
My Spanish skills are not awful but they are far from fluent. Language barriers could really hinder your ability to communicate with those you are trying to serve. But when it came to the kids we were interacting with all you needed was a smile, because smiles are absolutely universal! We had so much fun playing catch, face painting, and putting stickers on our faces. We didn't need long drawn out conversations to have fun or even awkward greetings. All we needed was a smile. I believe too many times in this world we try and complicate our relationships with people. Sometimes the most impactful relationships are the most innocent ones based on yard games and smiles.
Mission trips are challenging and rewarding. They can push you to your limit and often times even past it. But the key is to learn from it and let God work. Putting yourself aside is vital and letting your work be about God and the people you are serving.
