Poverty is Everywhere by Sydne

Poverty is Everywhere by Sydne - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

The summer of my junior year in high school I decided to go on a mission trip with my church to Guatemala. This decision was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I had never been exposed to that level of poverty and whenever I had heard about poverty before this trip I did not realize how extreme it was
When we got to Guatemala we were divided up into three groups to go to three separate local villages. I was sent a a village called The 46. When we were driving up to the village I did not expect much I just figured it was going to be like the small towns that I see in the U.S. What I saw has completely changed my life. We were at the village for five days and in those five days everyone there was wearing the same clothes. I take for granted the fact that at home at have a closet and dresser full of clothes when these people have nothing. There houses were made up of any resources that they could find in the surrounding areas. The children would beg for food because they had not eaten in days. This trip made me realize that I have a privileged life and it it is my job to give back to others. Before we left we started a huge donation pile to leave for the people in The 46. To me giving my clothes and spare change I had on me was not enough.
When I got back to Tennessee my eyes had been opened. I looked around and realized that Guatemala was not the only place that there was less fortunate people. I volunteered at several events before I went on my mission trip, but after I got home I was much more involved. I volunteered at churches around me in feed the homeless events, single moms events, and prayer walks. I wanted to give back to the people around me as much as I could because of what I had seen. The people in Tennessee are not in the extreme poverty that I saw in Guatemala, but that does not mean that they do not need my help.
Due to my decision to step out of my comfort zone and travel to a poverty stricken place I can now live a better life. I try to encourage others around me that if you have the opportunity to give to other to do it. I do not want anyone to feel pressured to because that is not the point. I want the people around me to open their eyes and look at the world I see now.