Application Essay from Garrett

I thought I would post this for all the "new" team members coming this year. Enjoy!


Outside the Bubble
In June of 2005, I went on my first mission trip to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. My sister had been on this trip before and I had heard about the life-changing experiences; however, I was not sure of what kind of impact it would have on me. I had been surrounded by my own respective American bubble, like so many others. Life was comfortable, nothing was wrong, and the least of my thoughts and worries was the needs of poor people. But after my trip, I experienced a part of the world that allowed me to gain a mental perspective that cannot be fully communicated in words alone. I eventually discovered that by adhering first to the dire physical needs of the people of Honduras, I was able to reach a level of spiritual connection that was genuine and real.
I could just see it in their eyes. As we unloaded the truck of wood that would soon become a livable house, tears came to the eyes of the recipients. Not tears of sorrow, but tears of answered prayers and hope for their families. We didn’t build mansions, just a sturdy 18’x 20’ shack, with a sloped tin roof to keep the rain out and a new wood floor rather than the usual muddy earth. In a house about the size of your bedroom, families of 4 up to 15 people can start new lives. Many poorly built homes of families are often washed away by frequent floods and mudslides on the mountains, so the more reliable homes we build can be life-saving. We also delivered boxes of food to needy families. One box can supply a family with healthy meals for weeks, giving them time to save money for other important things.
In Honduras, relationships are inevitable. I developed a special bond with my fellow workers and we still keep in touch. But I became friends not only with my fellow workers, but also the native people. This can be somewhat unexpected considering the language barrier, but I encountered incredible people all the time. Whether playing Frisbee, bingo, or soccer (the local favorite), I gained friends that I will never forget. Just one glance at a picture brings back some fond memories of my Honduran buddies.
After my experiences and the sights I had seen, I realized that I had gained a new perspective not only of poverty in the world, but of the importance of relationships in life and of the absurdity in the way Americans idolize material possessions.
In America, we are trained to think that anyone can succeed if they just put their mind to it, so we tend to disregard the poor. In Honduras, kids usually grow up and live where they were born because they couldn’t afford an education, or they had to drop out of school and get a job with low wages to support their family; therefore, impoverished people just give birth to another poor generation that is trapped by their surroundings. That is why in Tegucigalpa, we try to give a jump start to a generation, one community at a time. I have been to Tegucigalpa twice now, and I have come to the conclusion that all they need is a little hope.
Garrett Fox