"You have not lived today until you have done something
for someone who can never repay you."
-John Bunyan
Let me tell you something, it is not fun to ride 12 hours in a motor home with ten people and no air conditioning--especially in 110 degree weather. The odds are that there will be at least one person who will get on everybody's nerves, one person who will complain about being sick, one person who will snap and yell for no reason, and everybody will be sweating on everybody. I know this to be true considering I have been down to Rocky Point, Mexico four times in the last year, three of the trips being without A/C. It's miserable. But it's also rewarding. I do not regret a single trip. I have never gone back home and wished I didn't go.
This trip was a lot different than the others. On the previous trips, we stayed pretty busy and always had a job to do. This time we had too many hands and not enough jobs, so I watched. I definitely worked too, but I watched. I saw the difference we were making in the lives of people who would never be able to return the favor. I saw the humility in the eyes of everyone in that community. They had very little to live on, yet there were huge resorts only miles away from the poverty. It's hard to see, but it is also amazing and eye-opening. They are genuinely happy people. I've learned that, in places like that, most people work sun up to sun down and only make five dollars a day.. but they're happy. They live in "huts" and they are barely surviving, but they're happy.
Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all lived with little to nothing?
It would be a better place. We would be humble and full of innocence. We would be strong and our wealth would be our family, not money. There would be a lot more peace and caring.
Sadly, most of us have grown up with everything we need and a lot that we ask for. It's not necessarily a bad thing, until we start to look down on those who have less. I'm not perfect, and a lot of times I'm pretty selfish too. But who isn't? I went on my first humanitarian trip about 4 years ago and it really affected the way I see others. We really are all equal whether we believe it or not. We just live differently. We all have the potential to become great. If you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, go for it! If you want to be a stay at home mom, that's just as awesome. Good for you!
True kindness is hard to find these days, but that's because the media only shows the negative. Bring the positive back into this world. We need it! If you have the opportunity to go out and serve, please do that. You'd be amazed at how many people are willing to put other's needs before their own. The world is not evil.. we just make it out to be that way. My trips to Mexico give me hope. I go there and see hundreds of kids and adults serve people who deserve so much more than we can ever do for them. The people of Rocky Point, Mexico may think I'm impacting their lives, but believe me, they are impacting mine so much stronger. They will never see the difference they have made in me. They'll never see that they humble me because of the way they live and the gratitude they have.
If I could leave you with any advice, it would be to start seeing people the way God does. He doesn't judge, and He never will. He knows that none of us are perfect, and we can only try our best. And that is the greatest gift we have been given.
Love, MissKatieBug <3
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