Beata's Story
I journeyed to Nicaragua with Sheil for the Winter Break Service Trip last year, and it was one of the most meaningful weeks of my life. Like all of my group members, my eyes were opened to the horrors of the poverty of this part of the world. Despite this, I was pleasantly surprised and humbled as I realized that these people might have more to offer than I have to give. Let me share a short story about the girl in the picture with me to the left. Klaudia lives in the northern part of Nicaragua where over 80% of the population lives in extreme poverty. She is fortunate enough to eat 3 meals a day (not very common when you live on $1/day), but the meals consisted of simple rice, beans, and tortillas-not very nutritious. The kids knew that we had cookies and other goodies with us, but even so, as we were giving away the cookies and chips, Klaudia showed me just how much I still have to learn. After everyone got their cookies, she comes up to me and asks me if I like tortillas. After affirming that yes, of course I do, she told me she was going to run home and ask her mom to make tortillas for me. It was an extremely humbling situation, to have a little 8-year-old girl who has so little, offer me one of the only things she has. The people in Nicaragua had many lessons for me in that week.
The poor have much to teach me about family, resourcefulness, compassion, and true unconditional love.
I am ready to move on to the next frontier. I applied to the Haiti trip this year because I feel like I am being called to make new relationships, get to know unfamiliar things, and have the courage to step even further out of my comfort zone (I speak not one word of French or Haitian Creole). I am ready to embrace what the people of Haiti have to teach me and I am ready to step into an unknown land and serve (and be served!) by my brothers and sisters. Please help support me in any way possible, whether it is monetary support or prayers and keeping me in your thoughts the first week of winter break.
I appreciate the encouragement and contributions! Thank you! :)
- Beata