Personal Narrative

Words: 1006
Pages: 5

I never thought heaven would be so hot. Despite the high temperatures of Santa Barbara, Honduras our group of 40 missionaries was not only blessed by the generous spirit of the people we came to serve, but each one of us was eternally transformed by our experiences.

Our adventure began at 3 a.m. in front of the Ad building. It was amusing to watch as my fellow students piled into the bus with their blankets and pillows; some were quite literally jumping with joy while others struggled to simply climb into the bus. After a 3 and a half hour drive, a 3 hour flight, and another 3 hour drive across the occasionally bumpy roads of the countryside, we were there. A flood of young boys came to welcome us as we exited our rental vans. I felt immediately
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Other students taught English classes and played with the kids at the Adventist High School and Christian School. Our first Sabbath was certainly a highlight for me. Multiple Fletcher students took part in the church service by singing, reading scripture, praying, and telling a children’s story about dog poop. After lunch we hiked with the kids to a modest but beautiful church hidden deep in the jungle like mountains. The views were incredible, and I coveted the homes resting atop the mountains regardless of their poor …show more content…
We sang both English and Spanish songs and made unique crafts that tied in with each night’s story. We read and sometimes acted out the stories of creation, Noah and the flood, Daniel and the lion’s den, the crucifixion, and the glory of heaven. The children and many of the teenagers were eager to sing, learn, and play. I was blessed by their astounding joy but also by their generosity. They would excitedly create the crafts that I had prepared, but then, with even more enthusiasm, they would give their creations back to us as gifts.

Our Student Association decided earlier this school year to raise money for mattresses for the children staying at the Hogar de Niños. God faithfully made sure that the required amount was met, and we were able to give each child a new mattress. On Tuesday night we held a ceremony to commemorate the significant event. Each Fletcher student would go to a child’s room, remove their old mattresses, and then put a new, clean mattress on their beds. I was heartbroken at the sometimes wretched state of the children’s old mattresses, but their looks of pure joy and delight at their new beds filled me with