Hallie's Final Thoughts

Hallie's Final Thoughts

Towards the end of the trip Andrea posed this question to us: How are you going to explain this trip to people when they ask? You only have a minute or two of that person's attention before they move on - certainly not enough time to explain an expedition like this! 

Honestly, I haven't found the perfect answer yet.

It's instinctual to reply with, "It was amazing!" or "It was so much fun!" But those statements are so meaningless compared to what I experienced in Guatemala.

First of all, my relationship with God has been strengthened x1000000. We got to participate in praise and worship every night through music, my favorite form of prayer. PJ Anderson is a wonderful musician and I feel very fortunate to have been able to meet him and sing with him (even getting to hear exclusive, unreleased music!). I saw God every single day in the people I met - both Guatemalan natives and mission participants. Jorge, a shop owner in San Lucas, was not satisfied when all of his handmade skirts were too short for me. So, he had me choose a fabric and told me to come back the following day at 3:00; sure enough, he had sewn a beautiful skirt overnight that was custom-made just for my long legs. As he called me his "amiga" and hugged me goodbye, I was moved beyond words by his kindness.

I took this picture on the top of the Pacaya Volcano. The view was truly awe-inspiring - never have I seen anything like it! Things like this undoubtedly prove God's existence.

Throughout this trip I have realized the obsessive materialism that dominates our country. We encountered a Guatemalan family at the top of a mountain hike, and when I took out a container of bubbles, the children were immediately absorbed in the popping game, laughing with pure joy the entire time. It's startling to think that in America, children find this type of joy from iPads and cell phones. Everything is so much simpler down there. I met a girl in San Lucas one day and she pulled out a deck of cards, starting a game of Memory with me. The cards were covered with dirt, some ripped and some missing. Here, those cards would be considered trash, but those cards are probably some of the girl's only possessions. Despite the poverty, these are some of the happiest people I have ever met.

With great leaders like Andrea, Ann, PJ, and Jimmy and an amazing all-girls travel group, this trip has turned into one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. There were many times where I was out of my comfort zone and there were definitely some challenging moments, but if I had the chance I would go back to Guatemala in a heartbeat.

All I can say for now is that my Guatemala Mission Trip experience has been simply indescribable.

Hallie O'Neill