Service - Learning

When I was in highschool I was part of a team that traveled each summer for 2 weeks to work in a small village in the mountains of Ecuador. I believe this was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had the opportunity to be involved in. Each year for four summers in a row I raised the money I needed, got my shots and flew to Guayaquil, Ecuador. I met so many people down there that were so cool even though they were so different than me. I wanted to connect with those people, but of course not being able to communicate with them was frustrating. This pushed me to learn spanish and become fluent at it. Each year we took our team from the States, along with the team from Guayaquil and drove up into the gorgeous Andes mountains to a village called Tulabug Escaleras which sits on the shoulders of an extinct volcano.

ECU Mission Team in Guayaquil, Ecuador 2006

Some of the activities we participated in included working with the local school children, washing hair and teaching the families of the community about simple hygiene, assisting the Doctor while she saw patients, and doing games and activities with the children. Of course we also spent time seeing the sights and hanging out with our new friends. It was an incredible experience because I got to be a part of something so much bigger than just myself. I saw a people who had very little in the way of personal possesions or luxury. Yet they were really no different than myself. I think that I learned that I could live without some things when I went to Ecuador, and I definately learned to be thankful for everything that I have. The United States IS a very blessed country, even with all of our problems and issues. I am thankful to be an American, and I hope to use that blessing that I have been given to help other people in other parts of the world that do not have the same opportunities that I do.