A few weeks ago, I was able to experience what will probably be one of the most life changing and eye opening opportunities of my lifetime. I was blessed with the opportunity to visit a developing country and do mission work there. Thirteen of my soccer teammates, one of my coaches, and I embarked on our journey to Santo Dominigo, Dominican Republic for a week. I had never done a mission trip before, nor had I ever flown to a foreign country before. There were so many unknowns and fears I had prior to the trip, but needless to say once we got to the DR, there was so much hope. I got to experience a taste of what life is like in the Dominican Republic and was welcomed with open arms. I think the reason I feel like I got so much out of this trip is because I opened up my heart and came into the trip with an open mind. One of our mission We spent the week helping build 50 chairs for a tiny one-room school, as well as playing with the children at the school and helping in different ways, and painting a mural, and giving a soccer clinic at an orphanage.

The amount of love that surrounded me during this trip is what I believe transformed the way I think about God and life itself into something so unbelievably bright. I believe God led me to the DR to show me that he is prevalent anywhere. It did not matter that the community we were serving, El Cafe, was so poverty stricken that many homes did not have running water. I felt God's presence very strongly in El Cafe. God's love was shone brightly through the eyes of the Dominican people, especially the children. Our race, nationality and the fact that we barely spoke Spanish did not matter; the kids surrounded us with their love and showed us how little you need in life to be happy. The smiles on these children's faces as we ran around and sang and danced with them showed me God's light in remarkable ways.

God showed me his love by his protection. Each day, I prayed for the health and safety of our group. We did some very dangerous tasks. We used dangerous power tools like drills and electric saws. We walked down a rocky, slippery limestone hill covered in glass and garbage. We trecked over a mile through a muddy jungle carrying chairs to the school. And so much more. God guided us and protected us so that we could help El Cafe. We were protected from the Zika virus and other illness we could have contracted in a foreign country. God blessed us with health and safety.

I was overwhelmed and shocked by the amount of brokenness there is in El Cafe. Garbage lined the streets because most people cannot afford for it to be picked up. Never again will I take garbage pickup for granted. Few have running water. Many people collect rain water to bathe in or drink from and they rely heavily on a stream to bathe in. Stray dogs and cats are everywhere. They do not have the resources to control the population of stray animals there. Homes consist of one room tent-like shelters made out of wood or metal sheets and entire families live inside. Muddy or rocky paths are very common. Many people only own one pair of shoes and one or two outfits. The electricity that is available is run through power lines and cables, which appear to be very dangerous and hazardous. Despite the brokenness, the people in El Cafe have so much faith and find simple things to be joyful for. I rely have so much in my life that I take for granted that I now appreciate so much more.

I will never forget how thankful and grateful the people of El Cafe were for the work we did. Leaving them on the last day was so hard. All of the teachers and children hugged us goodbye and we couldn't help but tear up. The Dominican people left a mark on my heart. I will never forget what one woman at the school told me. Although my Spanish isn't the best anymore, I knew exactly what she said. She told me that we are now apart of El Cafe and that we are all a family now. El Cafe will always be our home. She was so right, because a piece of my heart was left behind in El Cafe that week.

What is put into an experience is what will come out of it. One of our mission leaders explained that if you give a thimble sized effort, God will fill your thimble size effort. But if you come ready to let God utilize your gifts and talents and if you're open and willing to give it your all, God will fill your spirit completely. If God is offered an ocean size container, He will fill it to the brim and place it on your heart to do his work.

I left the Dominican Republic the happiest I have ever been. I did not serve the people in the DR, the people in the DR served me because they forever impacted my heart