The Mission of a Lifetime
By Hunter S.
People on the Street, India by Andrey Created in Canva
The food was another insane adjustment. Meals usually consisted of rice, dal, naan, chicken, or goat. They ate with their hands and had very little variety because of cows, clean water, food, shelter, and freedom.
While she doesn't plan to return to India for a vacation, she said the people she met and the lessons she learned will always stay with her no matter what. If you someday have a shot to go on a mission trip, I would definitely go because without that trip, my mom wouldn't be who she is now. Thank you, NSA students, for reading this. When my mom was about 17 or 18, she spent two months in India on a mission trip. Although the experience was difficult, it changed the way she viewed life and made a lasting impact on her.
One of the hardest parts was the heat. Since they visited during India’s summer, the temperature was about 110 degrees with high humidity. Ice and cold drinks were difficult to find, and visitors were often served boiling chai tea. The team also had to wear pants and sometimes scarves as head coverings.
Despite the challenges, my mom said the experience made her stronger and more adaptable. Because she couldn't control the heat or living conditions, she learned to adapt and trust God to provide what she needed.
One of the most tearful parts of the trip was teaching women in the slums of Calcutta how to read. One woman began crying and singing after learning the alphabet because she was so grateful. My mom also played with children in rural villages, prayed with an entire gypsy village, visited the Himalayas, and stayed at Mother Teresa’s guest house.
The trip was not a vacation. The team dealt with dirty conditions, limited bathrooms, unclean water, insects, and illness. Everyone on the team became sick at some point. For that reason, my mom said she probably would not return to India for a vacation. However, the difficult conditions helped her appreciate the comforts and opportunities she had in America.
Since cows are considered sacred in India, beef was not available. Even when ants crawled on a meal prepared by a host family, the team ate it to show respect for the family’s hospitality.
The experience changed my mom’s perspective on everyday life. After she returned home, turning on a faucet made her think about how much people often take for granted.
Columns: 👤NSA People, ✝️Spiritual Life
Hunter S. has been in NSA for 1 year. This is his first year, and his interests are superheroes like Batman and Iron Man because he thinks they are cool, rich, and smart. He wants to go to Japan someday. It is one of his biggest dreams. He does the Navigator. He plays video games with his friends and loves hanging out with them. He plays a lot of sports, including wrestling, baseball, and basketball, and he has two dogs named Duke and Bullet.