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MadisonBrown
Mrs.Henry
ServiceLearning
8December20151
ServiceLearningFinalPaper
Introduction
GuatemalaisabeautifulcountrylocatedinCentralAmerica.Insidethecapitalof
GuatemalaCityisachurchcalledElimCentral.ElimCentralisthehomechurchofthousandsof
Guatemalans.Inadditiontobeinghometoahugecongregationandhousingachristianschool,
ElimCentralrunsandsupportsaseriesofdifferentmissionsandprogramsthatservethecityof
Guatemala.AllthroughouttheyearElimwelcomesmissionsteamstoassistinservingthrough
theseprograms.EncounterMissionsisoneoftheteamsthatElimwelcomesannually.Encounter
MissionsisthemissionsdepartmentofEncounter,theyouthministryoftheFathersHouse,
locatedinVacavilleCalifornia.EncounterMissionsisrunbyHeatherandCiscoEstebez.
HeatherandCiscohaveleadseventripstoGuatemala,twotripstotheLADreamCenter,and
arecurrentlypreparingforatriptoHonduras.EncounterMissionsisayouthonlymissions
organization,itspurposeistotakeyoungpeopleonmissiontripsthatinspirethemtobring
changeandtoserveintheirowncity.
WhyIchosethissite
IhavebeenapartofEncounterMissionssince2013whenItookmyfirsttripto
Guatemala.IhaveservedinGuatemalathreetimesandattheLADreamCentertwotimes.
BeingapartofthisincredibleteamofpeoplehaschangedmylifeandIwantedtomakeitmy

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servicelearningprojectsoIcouldreallyreflectonwhatGuatemalahasdoneformethroughout
myhighschoolyears.IknowwithoutadoubtthatIwouldnotbethepersonIamtodayifitwere
notformissions.ThroughmyfivetripsIhavegainedsomuchperspectiveabouttheworldand
growninmyownpersonaldevelopment.IsaythiseveryyearbutItendtoleavemyheartin
GuatemalaandItrulybelieveahugepieceofmeisstillthere.Itsaveryspecialplacetomeand
thatswhyIchoseitasmyservicelearningsite.
Experience
BeforeleavingthecountrywearerequiredtoserveinourcitythroughtheVacaville
storehouse.Alongwithserving,wemustfundraise$1200andgatherdonationsofthingssuchas
hygieneproducts,blankets,shoes,etc.WemeetandprepareasateamstartinginMarchandwe
takeourtripattheendofSeptember.ThisyearinGuatemalawedidanumberofdifferent
projectsandmissions.WestartedoutinGuatemalaCitywherewegreetedourhostsand
participatedinElimCentralsyouthandmainservices.Whilewearethereweprayforpeople
andspendtimebuildingrelationshipsandmakingconnections.Afterchurch,wegotoWalmart
andthisisactuallyaprettybigdealasthisiswherewegathergroceriesforallthesiteswewill
visitthroughouttheweek.OnMondaywegeareduptogotoourfirstsite,andbyfarmy
favorite.Livingston,GuatemalaisaneighthourdriveandahalfhourboatridefromGuatemala
City.Wespendthreedaysinthisbeautifulcityandweputonanumberofdifferentevents.This
yearweranahygieneclinicandayouthconference.Iwasgrantedalittlemoreresponsibility
thanIvehadbefore.Ihadtheopportunitytoleadworshipfortheyouthconferencewithsomeof
myteammembers.ThiswassoamazingbecauseworshipleadingismypassionanditswhatI
doathomeaswell.BeforeweleftIwasresponsibleforcreatingthesetlistsandcommunicating

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withtheGuatemalansaboutwhatsongswewouldbedoing.Itwasreallyawesometobeableto
operateinmygiftingofworshipinanothercountry.Anotherexcitingaspectofthiswasthatwe
wereabletotranslateouroriginalsongsandleadthemduringtheconference.Besidesholdinga
twodayyouthconferenceinLivingston,wealsohostedahygieneclinic.Thisyearenoughitems
weredonatedthatwewereabletopassout150hygienekitstomen,women,andchildren.At
ourclinicwetaughtthepeoplehowtowashtheirhands,brushtheirteeth,andotherimportant
hygienelessons.WealsopassedoutwaterfilterstomanyofthefamiliesinLivingston.Last
year,ouryouthministryraisedenoughmoneytopurchaseeightywaterfiltersforpeopleallover
Guatemala.AfterLivingston,weheadbacktoGuatemalaCitytovisitmoresites.OnThursdayI
hadtheopportunitytosharemytestimonyattheschoolschapelservice.AlongwithspeakingI
gottowatchmyteammatesleadworship.Itwassuperencouragingtoseemyfriendswalking
outintheirgiftingaswell.AttheserviceIspokeaboutinsecurityandtoldmytestimonyofhow
Idealtwithit.Iwasblessedtohearfrommanypeoplewhoweretouchedbymystory.We
visitedtwomorelocationsduringourtimeinGuatemala.ThefirstwasLibreInfanciawhichis
byfaroneofmyfavoriteplacesintheworld.LibraInfanciaisadaycareandschoolforkidswho
liveinthedumpsandslumsofGuatemalaCity.Whenwevisitthemitsourgoaltogivethem
thebestdayoftheirlives.Weteachthemabiblelesson,helpfeedthem,painttheirfaces,make
themanimalballoons,playgameswiththem,andmanyotherfunthings.Thelovethesekids
haveshownmehaschangedmeforever.ThelastsitewevisitedwasCocinaDelAmor.Our
originalplanwhenwearrivedatthissitewastojustplaywiththekids,teachthemabible
lesson,painttheirfaces,etc.ButGodhadsomethingdifferentinmind.Whilewewereincountry
therewasabiglandslideinaneighborhoodnearbywherewewerestaying.Wedecidedthat

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insteadoffollowingourplanswewouldbuysomewaterandbringittothelandslidevictims.
Thiswasanextremelyimpactfulmomentforme.Itsheartbreakingtoseealreadybrokenand
hurtingpeopleexperiencesuchahorribletragedy.Weprayedforthefamiliesandpassedoutour
water.AfterexperiencingthatitwasreallyhardtocomehomebutwehadtoandIknowthatI
camebackachangedperson.
Evaluation
Ihaveaverycloseandpersonalrelationshipwithmysiteleader.Shehasledmeonmany
tripsandwehavegrownveryclose.ItwasencouragingtohearhearthoughtsonhowIdidon
thistrip.Iwasalsoremindedofwhataprivilegeitistobeapartoftheteam.Iwashandpickedto
representmywholechurchinanothercountryandthatsprettyawesome.Iappreciatethatshe
mentionedmytimemanagementbecauseItryreallyhardtobalancealotofthingsatonceand
doeverythingverywell.ItgetsdifficultattimesbutIhavealotofdifferentpassionsandIwant
topursueallofthem.ImgladshepointedoutthatIneedtobebetteratmakingdecisions
becausethatssomethingIvereallynoticedinmyselflately.ImastrongleaderbutIoften
doubtmyownopinionsaboutdifferentthingsandthatmakesithardformetomakedecisions.I
tendtoseektheapprovalofmyteammatesbeforeIdecideonanything.Imapeoplepleaserand
Ijustwanteveryonetobehappywithmeandwithwhateverprojectisathand.
PersonalGrowth
MyexperiencesinGuatemalahaveheavilyimpactedmygrowthintothepersonIam
today.Recentlymypersonalityhaschangedalot.PriortothislastyearIthinkIwouldve
categorizedmyselfasayellowinthecolorpersonalityscalebutnowIamared.Ihavegrowna
lotinmyleadershipabilities.AtthisphaseinmylifeIvebeenhandedalotofleadership

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responsibilitiesandthathasforcedmetogrowinmyskillsasaleaderandtoreallytakecharge.
ThisyearinGuatemalaItookalotmoreresponsibilityontheteam.Ileadourwholeworship
teamfortheyouthconferenceandIhadtodoalotmoreplanningpriortousleaving.Ihadto
learnhowtoworkwithalotofdifferentpersonalitiesandleadonesthatwerealittlemore
difficult.Ihadtogrowinpatiencewiththosewhosepersonalitiesclashwithmine.Inthecareer
assessmentIwascategorizedasamusicdirectorwhichisprettyinterestingbecausethatswhat
myrolewasontheteam.Myleadertrustedmetorunallthingsmusicanditwasaneasyjob
becauseImpassionateaboutitandgoodatit.OneskillthatIhadtodevelopalotonthistrip
waspublicspeaking.IveneverbeenafraidofpublicspeakingbutIalwaysconsidereditoutside
ofmygiftingandIneverreallyvolunteeredtopreachonourtrips.ThistimeIreallyfeltledto
preachanditwassuchagreatexperience.IfeltlikeitwassomethingthatImgoodatandIwant
todomore.Sharingmytestimonyandstoryhadahugeimpactonmeandhopefullyanimpact
onthosewholistenedtome.Thistripalsogrewmypatienceinalotofways.Ourteamspends
everysecondofeverydaytogetherforsevendaysanditcanbecomeeasytogetirritatedby
certainpersonalitiesortojustbeinabadmoodandisolateyourselffromtheteam.Itriedhard
thisyearnottobedivisiveandtothinkthebestofeveryoneandeverything.IfeltlikeGod
wantedtogrowmypatienceandshowmehowtolovepeopleevenwhentheygetonmynerves.
Alltheseskillsaresoimportanttohavewhenyoureworkinginacareer.Moreoftenthannot
youwonthavecontroloverwhoyougettoworkwithandyouhavetohaveagoodattitudeand
bekindtopeopleeveniftheybugyou.Missionshashelpedmegrowinthisareaalot.Im
gratefulfortheconfidence,skills,andexperiencesGuatemalahasgivenme.

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PersonalThoughts
Guatemalaholdssuchahugepieceofmyheart.IfeellikethethreeexperiencesIvehad
therehavedramaticallyimpactedmeandmademeamuchbetterpersonthanIwouldhavebeen
withoutit.Iknowhavealargerperspectivethathelpsmeunderstandthattheworldissomuch
biggerthanmeandIhavearesponsibilitytohelpthoseinneedinanywayIcan.Iveseen
povertyandwheneverIfeellikecomplainingIcangobacktomyexperienceinGuatemalaand
remindmyselfhowblessedIam.Iwouldtakefiftymoreofthesetrips.Theyaresofunand
excitingandIlovealloftheGuatemalanpeopleandImsogratefultheyvebeenapartofmy
life.Imalsogratefulforthisservicelearningprojectbecauseitsgivenmeanopportunityto
reallyreflectonallthatIvelearnedthroughmyexperience.Itssoimportanttoserveothers,it
forcesyoutotakeyoureyesoffyourselfandtofocusonothers.TheonlythingIwouldchange
aboutmyexperienceisthatIwishIhadkeptabetterattitudeonsomedays.Itgetsreallyhard
andyougettired.IwishthatIhadtriedhardertoenjoyeverybitoftheexperience.Goinginto
thisprojectIthoughtitwasjustgoingtobeanotheryearinGuatemalabutitwastrulymybest
year.ImsoproudofmyteamandallthatweaccomplishedandImgratefulthatIgottobea
partofit.IlovetheGuatemalanpeople.Ilovetheirpassionandtheirjoy.Ilovehowtheylove
andtreatus.TheyalwaysgivemesomuchmorethanIcouldgivethem.Ithinkthatsthe
biggestlessonIvelearned.Wereceivesomuchmorebygivingthanwedobyreceiving.Some
ofthegreatestmomentsofmylifehavecometomebecauseIchosetogiveofmyself.Itsso
muchbettertogiveandIwillcontinuelivingthislifestyleofgenerosityandservanthoodforthe
restofmylife.