If you have ever wondered if you should attend a mission trip that your school has to offer, the answer is yes. Mission trips are an amazing way to help out and make a difference in the community, while building relationships with new friends.

I recently attended the mission trip to Houston, Texas to clean up after Hurricane Harvey. Once we arrived and were ready to serve, we were broken up into four groups that had approximately 8 people each, (overall about 30 people were on the trip). Those four groups, then, divided and conquered, going to different houses that had been greatly affected by the hurricane and needed renovations.

People reached out to the Lutheran church asking for help, and from there we were sent to their homes. Jobs in these houses went anywhere from scrubbing screen windows, ripping out dry wall, tearing out tile, removing nails and screws from walls and stairs, plus more. Seeing the homeowner’s reactions when we arrived everyday was priceless; you could truly see how grateful they were for our help. One man said that we were lifesavers and another women even bought us all donuts while we worked.

Seeing the transformation of each house from when we arrived to when we left was an unforgettable sight. It was heartbreaking seeing what terrible conditions these houses were in, but uplifting to see the difference we could make even in just one workday. This mission trip really opened my eyes up to how much we have to appreciate, because you can really have everything stripped away from you in the blink of an eye. Talk to Mrs. Buuck at [email protected] for information on how you can get involved and make a change by attending a mission trip.