Initial International Mission Trip And Plane Flight In The Bahamas

This past summer, I went on a mission trip to the Bahamas with my youth group and it was my initial international mission trip and plane flight as well!! Naturally, I was extremely nervous and excited about this new adventure in my life. We spent the past five or six months leading up to this trip, preparing for the work we were going to do in the Bahamas. Our team met once a month to prepare for our trip. The preparations were to host a Vacation Bible School (VBS) for kids in the surrounding community and the partner church. The planning also included setting up a few service projects that we could do around the church in the afternoons. During our original planning session, we met, and our focus was getting acquainted with each other. We played team building games to strengthen our relationships and our ability to work together as a group. We needed to be able to work well together and learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

The most important reminder for the trip was to be flexible and go with the flow. During the following months leading up to our trip, we began planning all aspects for the VBS. We, as a group, came together, and everyone had the opportunity to voice their ideas and opinions about the VBS theme. Planning VBS was much more time-consuming than I ever imagined. We planned to ensure that we had all the supplies that we would need for VBS and the service projects. On June 15, it was an exciting morning, and I had some nerves. The day had finally come! After months of planning and preparing, it was time to board our plane and head for the Bahamas! Once we arrived in the Bahamas, we checked in at the place where we would be staying for the week. Our house was about 15 minutes away from the church, where we would be working. We arrived in the Bahamas on Saturday afternoon. Later in the evening, we did some sightseeing.

One of the most significant memorable moments of the evening was our visit to the beach, where the Haitian refugees attempt to enter the Bahamas. I realized how difficult it was for these refugees to flee their country and to strive for an improved life for their families. Our group could hardly wait for Monday to come. That was the day that we got to meet all the kids who we would be working that week. On Monday, we planned to arrive at the church early in the morning to gather all our items to set up, but our bus driver was operating on island time. Shortly after we arrived at the church, the kids began arriving, our preparation would be placed to the test! Before VBS started, we went outside to meet and play with the kids. I instantly fell in love with the kids I met. The kids’ favorite activity to do was to climb on my neck! And all the little girls wanted to braid my hair! After day one of VBS, we did food distribution in the Shantytowns.

This experience was a massive eye-opener. It was hard to see the conditions in which the Haitians lived. The houses were small and dirty. It was hard to believe that these conditions were of a higher quality from where they had previously lived. All the families whom we delivered food to were appreciative, and you could tell by their faces that it was meaningful and unique to them. The people in the Shantytowns were excited and happy to see us, and that was a great feeling. Initially going into this trip, I did not realize how much I would connect with the kids. I quickly realized that it does not take much to produce a difference in the children’s lives. Seeing the smiles we placed on children’s faces was a great satisfaction. Just merely giving them attention and interacting with them went a long way and made their day. The kids in the Bahamas taught me many new ways to comprehend my current life. I felt this trip allowed me to gain a new perspective on my life. It was amazing how happy and grateful all the kids were, even if they had multiple reasons not to be.

I realized how fortunate I was to live in America and I learned from the kids to strive to live in the present and not to worry about what could happen in the future. All the experiences I learned and saw while in the Bahamas has had a significant impact on my life. I learned that simple acts of kindness could create a positive experience in someone’s life and brighten their day! Material belongings allow the experience to be more enjoyable, but the Haitian kids reminded me that these belongings are not the key to happiness.