My Mission Trip by Jessica

My Mission Trip by Jessica - March 2026 Scholarship Essay

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to travel to Atenas, Costa Rica. While I was there, I served at a home for children called Hogar de Vida, meaning "Home of Life" in English. There was a team of about 20 that went down. For the week and a half we were there, we cleaned the gutters of all the houses on the property, painted the houses, and mowed the lawns for hours in the hot, Costa Rican sun. While the work was grueling, it was also tremendously rewarding. Armed with the knowledge that I was making the children's home a better, cleaner place, I worked ceaselessly. After the physical labor, we cleaned up and had lunch. Then, we spent the rest of the day with the children there. We had a vacation bible school prepared for them. We split into groups of 4, each with a different station. This work was hard in a different way. The children loved being picked up, spun around, and chased. They never got tired of it, so that means I couldn't get tired of it either. Over the days, I formed close bonds with the people on my team, and most importantly, with the children and staff there. Saying goodbye was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. However, I'm comforted by the knowledge that the children will be cared for. I know that God holds each and every one of them in His hands. From this amazing experience, I learned a couple of different things about myself. I learned what it means to truly love someone. The children there opened up my heart in ways I didn't know were possible. I learned that, no matter how hard the work may be, I will get it done well for the benefit of others. I also learned that by trusting God, I can do all things, no matter how scared I might be. Finally, I learned that I need to get better at appreciating the little moments of life. Seeing the kids beam over the tiniest things reminded me of that. Overall, this mission trip changed my life and attitude for the better.