I never exactly understood how other people from different countries actually lived until I took a mission trip with my church to Mexico. As I was driving to Rocky Point, Mexico with my friend, Jillian, I was very excited to meet new friends that were a lot different than me and my friends. When I arrived there, all the kids that went on the trip filed out of then van and ran onto the beach. All of the sudden, our youth leader, PK, called us in to meet the family we were going to help. We all seated ourselves outside the family's home and they discussed how life was going for them. They were Mexican, and they just learned the English language, so it was slightly difficult to understand what they were saying, but it wasn't too bad. The woman that lived there told us that they had no money left, and that the only money they had was spent on food so that their children wouldn't starve. We church kids looked around at each other with sad faces, and we were very eager to help this family. Our mission here was to make an extension to their home since they had 6 people living in a one-bedroom home, and their home was so secure either. They used blankets as windows, they had a cemented dirt wall kind of thing going on, and most of them had to sleep on the floor, which had no carpeting. What us kids were going to add on was 2 extra rooms! Of course, we had more help from the adults we brought, but it was going to be hard work.


The first few days of building the family's extension were very tough. I had to carry heavy materials and follow directions carefully so I wouldn't mess up anything that would ruin the whole house completely. After awhile, we were allowed to take breaks and play with the family's children. We played soccer on the beach, and it was tons of fun communicating with the foreign kids and seeing the world in a different point a view. I worked extra hard on the last days of building the home, because I knew if I lived in this difficult time I would want somebody to help me as well. When I got home from Mexico, I started treating my own family differently, for the better that is. I stopped taking things for granted and appreciated the things I already have more. It was an amazing experience to learn how other families have to live. I was taught a life-changing lesson on that mission trip to Mexico.