“We were stopped at an intersection on our way up north, and we thought it would be funny for everyone to run out of the car and swap places,” explained Senior Dalton Bliss, “It was one of the best moments of the day.”
Not only are mission trips filled with laughter and excitement, but they are also a great way to pay it forward. Bliss, along with Seniors Bryce Hane and James Remer, attended a trip to Duluth with OneWay Youth Ministries. Their mission? To help clean up the debris left by flooding.
“We weeded a rose garden, put down mulch in a park, and pulled garbage out of a creek,” said Bliss, “That creek was filled with debris! We ended up filling three shopping carts.”
But with hard work comes great relaxation and bonding time.
“The best memory was on the last night during worship,” Bliss added, “We sang the last song and held hands. As one body, we sang to our Lord.”
Mission trips have a reputation for having religious affiliation, but that is not always true. Senior Marissa Meyers had the opportunity to travel internationally with an organization called “Rustic Pathways”. She spent three weeks in Udon Thani, Thailand to work with children.
“On the trip we did a few different things,” explained Meyers, “We went to schools to interact with the kids and teach English as well as swimming. We also did a ‘Meals on Wheels’ project, worked in rice paddies, and built a house.”
Meyers was hard at work during her trip, but she also had some time for fun.
“We had a staff member that looked like Macklemore,” she said, “And a different staff member was dancing so much that she almost fell of the back of one of our trucks.”
Mission trips are life changing experiences for most who attend them.
“The trip was a lot of fun,” concluded Meyers, “You get to see firsthand how you are helping the community.”
There are also ways to make an impact for the greater good without even leaving home. $12,000 was raised in memory of Emma Rodelius and was sent to an organization called ASON (Assisting National Christian Leaders). Emma was working on a project to help out the residents of the Dominican Republic, and it is scheduled to be finished next year.
Anyone can make a difference in the world; from going on an international adventure to sparing some change. Not only can you change the lives of another person, but it may change yours as well.
