by Silas Gonzalez (Editor-in-chief)
From February 17th to the 24th, a group of Salesian seniors, Mr. Siefring, Mr. Manning, Mr. Badillo, and Don Bosco Preparatory School members went on a mission trip to Tampa, Florida. Right before writing this, I asked the other Salesians to describe their experience, here’s what they had to say:
“Life-changing.” – Angelo Ledda.
“Eye-opening.” – Jeffery Marrero.
“Impactful.” – Rocco Lepore.
“Momentous.” – Antonio Orrechio.
“Fulfilling.” – Charles Szeliga.
“Growth.” – Sean O’Hare.
“Tranquil.” – Christopher Healy.
“A splendid time.” – Bladimil Almonte.
“Enlightening.” – Neil Senhouse.
“Thanks, Fr. Craig.” – Derek De La Hoz.
“Humbling.” – Daniel Ramunno.
“Send me back.” – Daniel Brito.
The experience we had on our mission trip deeply influenced our faith and our perspective, and without sounding too personal or rehearsing our experience, I want to provide a few of the reasons why you should serve, in the hopes that future Salesians apply for future mission trips.
1. Help Those in Need
Mission trips give you a rare opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. Doing so broadens your perspectives on both the world around you and your own life. For example, visiting underprivileged communities can give you a newfound appreciation for your life and the privileges you have, such as your phone, your living conditions, your school, and your overall quality of life. Helping those in need allows you to meet the local needs of the community you are serving. From making sandwiches to cleaning public areas, you will have lasting positive impacts on the people you are ministering to. Serving in this regard blossoms a heart of gratitude for the many blessings you have.
On my mission trip, we stayed at the Mary Help of Christians Center in Tampa, Florida. There we stayed with many Salesian fathers and brothers, alongside many other members of the Salesian family. Keep in mind that when wanting to help people, something as seemingly simple as talking to someone new goes a long way.
2. Build Yourself
While making a difference in people’s lives, you can also learn things about yourself and see your life from a whole new perspective. After completing your mission trip, in my experience, you feel you have a stronger understanding of yourself. In the sense that giving your time to others, your relationships with your friends, and reflection provides you with a clarity you can not find in any other environment. In a religious context, you may be in a stronger relationship with God. By emulating servitude, generosity, and humility you understand the real impact of God’s work in your life. Mission trips have a strong portion dedicated to mass, reflection, and understanding the impact we can have on people, all to bring you closer to God than you were before you started the mission trip.
Here’s a tip for building yourself during a mission trip: journal. Journaling throughout your mission trip, it’s a great way to record everything that happened, while also being a way to look back and contemplate.
3. Slow Down, Disconnect
You thrive on busyness. You thrive for a coffee in the morning, the possible bragging with your friends about who had the fewest sleep the night before. You thrive on your phones, which beg and beg for our attention. You thrive on your social media driving you with the world. Slow down, take some time to disconnect. No environment is this more practicable than an environment in which you dedicate your time to others. Mission trips allow you to disconnect from the craziness of it all. I know, it may appear daunting at first, but it’s actually refreshing. I used to average around 3 hours of screen time a day. During my mission trip, my screen time the entire week was 10 minutes, which consisted of me calling my loved ones and updating them a few times. That week I never felt more grounded with the world around me. Taking the time to disassociate from the busyness of life can provide an appreciation for how little things operate. Even outside of a mission trip, take some time to talk to someone in person, put your device away, and slow down.
The experience I had on my mission trip has affected me in a way that no other experience can, and I hope this can at least bring you to consider doing something positive today.
The Salesian Spectator 