From Missionary to Heart by Annie

From Missionary to Heart by Annie - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

Last summer I had the opportunity to fulfill a dream I've had for ages. This dream was to go out of the country on mission. This has always been a dream of mine because I have a giant heart. Unfortunately, this isn't always a good thing because it tends to hurt me often. Anyways, my dream was fulfilled & I pray to return there soon.
I missioned to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. While I was there I encountered things that no human should ever have to endure. People starving, dying, living in the streets with nothing but the minimal clothing on their backs. Although these people had every right to give up on life, they were some of the most optimistic loving people I have ever met. The citizens of Tegucigalpa spoke a different language, but that didn't stop us from communicating. The people in this village smiled more. They showed outstanding gratitude towards the efforts my team had to mend some of the hurt in their lives. Never in my life have I experienced children so excited about bubbles and bread.
Taking this mission made me realize many things. I never wanted to leave, and I wanted to stay & continue to help. I was sad that I had to go & for a couple days on returning home, I mourned and just longed to return to that beautiful land. That's when I came to an even bigger realization; I didn't need to be in a foreign country to make a difference. The United States is a wonderful country, but it contains human beings with a need for help as well. I started looking into homeless shelters in the area. I started volunteering there and it became a new therapy for me. The people there thought that they were being aided by me, but they had no idea how much their handshakes, hugs, smiles, & "thank you" meant to me.
After I started volunteering there, I became a better person. I thought about how much their tiny gestures meant to me and so I did those gestures to others more as well. During a typical day at school it brings joy to my mind to see others smile from MY tiny doings. I'm thankful to have become a volunteer and for all the optimism it has brought to my character and to my life.