From Feb. 26 until Mar. 5, I had the pleasure of returning to the Dominican Republic for my second mission trip through Orphanage Outreach. This time though, I stayed solely with the medical team. With 5 providers, we provided care for 631 patients in 4 days. I got to translate and it was the most incredible experience of my life. Not only did it combine my two main loves, Spanish and Medicine, but it affirmed everything that I am doing with my life. It gave me the strength and motivation to keep learning and growing and become the best Physician Assistant that I can be. I know that continuing this type of work is definitely what I am meant to do, and will make it a priority to continue to take mission trips for the rest of my life. I acknowledge that I probably won't work full-time in a developing country, but think that I truly am meant to work with under-served, poor, and culturally diverse populations. I love being able to serve "the least of these," and spread God's love to them.
There were a few things that particularly struck me on this trip for whatever reason. As always, I am in awe over they have very little material-wise, but have everything in every other (much more important) way - faith, family, and friends. Not only that, they take great pride in the little that they do have. They are happy and satisfied with what they have in life, and do not ask for more, but rather send us off with gifts when we leave. Why is it that so many other people in this world who are abundantly rich in materialistic items continue to want for more possessions, and do not always fully appreciate their family, friends, and faith? It's quite an eye-opener, and I love their culture and would gladly trade that life style any day for what I have. And yet, I recognize that God, my father, has blessed me abundantly, and that I should use my talents and blessings to benefit others.
Another thing that I found quite fun was the way that music bridges cultures. Quite often, we listen to similar music, if not the same music as they do. For example, when "Waka, Waka" by Shakira came on the radio during a bus ride, everyone started singing. The bus driver loved it! There were many other similar stories as well, and the music brought everyone together, regardless if people knew the song or could even understand it, as we all took joy in the musical rhythms that were floating from the speakers.
The beauty of language is another thing that never ceases to amaze me. To begin with, I think it's incredible that people even know the dynamic equivalent of other languages in comparison to their own. I mean, I understand Spanish fine, but only because I was taught it and continue to learn it through talking with native speakers. The same goes for any language... I think that it's absolutely incredible that we are all able to communicate with each other. Even for the ones with limited ability in a second language, they are still able to get by, and even if they don't understand the spoken language, gestures and love works just as well. Maybe that's all it is: love. The love that seems to be formed between anyone involved in these trips: volunteers, patients, random people we meet on the streets, there is always a sense of love between everyone. For me, that is one of the purest signs of God's presence on these trips, and that is beautiful. Maybe that's why I'm so addicted to this work; God is always present and alive and at work in our lives. Beautiful.
There were a few things that particularly struck me on this trip for whatever reason. As always, I am in awe over they have very little material-wise, but have everything in every other (much more important) way - faith, family, and friends. Not only that, they take great pride in the little that they do have. They are happy and satisfied with what they have in life, and do not ask for more, but rather send us off with gifts when we leave. Why is it that so many other people in this world who are abundantly rich in materialistic items continue to want for more possessions, and do not always fully appreciate their family, friends, and faith? It's quite an eye-opener, and I love their culture and would gladly trade that life style any day for what I have. And yet, I recognize that God, my father, has blessed me abundantly, and that I should use my talents and blessings to benefit others.
Another thing that I found quite fun was the way that music bridges cultures. Quite often, we listen to similar music, if not the same music as they do. For example, when "Waka, Waka" by Shakira came on the radio during a bus ride, everyone started singing. The bus driver loved it! There were many other similar stories as well, and the music brought everyone together, regardless if people knew the song or could even understand it, as we all took joy in the musical rhythms that were floating from the speakers.
The beauty of language is another thing that never ceases to amaze me. To begin with, I think it's incredible that people even know the dynamic equivalent of other languages in comparison to their own. I mean, I understand Spanish fine, but only because I was taught it and continue to learn it through talking with native speakers. The same goes for any language... I think that it's absolutely incredible that we are all able to communicate with each other. Even for the ones with limited ability in a second language, they are still able to get by, and even if they don't understand the spoken language, gestures and love works just as well. Maybe that's all it is: love. The love that seems to be formed between anyone involved in these trips: volunteers, patients, random people we meet on the streets, there is always a sense of love between everyone. For me, that is one of the purest signs of God's presence on these trips, and that is beautiful. Maybe that's why I'm so addicted to this work; God is always present and alive and at work in our lives. Beautiful.
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