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Why It’s Better to Give Than Receive

While helping a local church in Puerto Rico, Ashton Hamlett experienced one of the greatest mysteries of mission trips – finding those she went to serve teaching her more than she ever could have imagined.


It’s funny the things we take for granted – the things we don’t realize are truly special.

The church my team partnered with in Puerto Rico wasn’t going to be able to have a VBS this year. They had 15 children who wanted to attend, but no volunteers to run it. So that’s what my team did.

From puertorico.myadventures.org

Everyone in the church was so excited to have us there. They kept thanking us over and over. I’ve helped run a VBS before, but I’ve never see a group so excited and grateful for its volunteers, from the kids to the pastor’s family. Everyone just kept saying, “Thank you.” They were humble; they were grateful. They even provided food for us when they heard we would just have PB&J for lunch!

Their hospitality was outstanding – and convicting.

This church gave so much more abundantly than I could ever imagine – more of their time, energy, and compassion than even we did as volunteers, not to mention providing food and drinks for us every day. But more than that, they loved us. And though we only worked with them for 4 days, it was as if we’d known each other our entire lives.

We felt like so much more than volunteers; we felt like family.

From puertorico.myadventures.org

The people at this church taught me that there are always more ways to love a person. There’s always something we don’t realize we take for granted. There’s always something we can do to bless someone, like hugs from sweet girls and boys you don’t even know.

There’s so much I didn’t realize I didn’t know.

I didn’t realize that Christ’s love, humility, servant’s heart, kindness, and compassion could be found in something as simple as a silly kids’ song.

I see that now, how even the little things can shed a light on the big things. All this time I was reflecting His light to them and they were reflecting Christ’s same light back to me. They taught me as much as we taught them.

It’s the great mystery of every mission trip: this whole time I was supposed to be serving them, and I did, but the people of this church out-served me by daily, in big and in little things, showing me Christ’s love, humility, and compassion.

From puertorico.myadventures.org


Smiling tourists never imagine the truth of life in Puerto Rico.

A commonwealth of the United States, Puerto Rico offers wealthy residents and tourists the comforts of America as well as exotic beaches and a relaxed Caribbean culture.

Sadly, almost half of the population lives below the poverty line, and unemployment always remains high. Most of the Puerto Rican people do not have access to services such as police protection and emergency medical care.

You can share the promise of life in Christ to the people of Puerto Rico.

Ministry:

While in Puerto Rico, you will:

  • Build relationships and trade stories with everyone you meet. You’ll learn about Puerto Rican life beyond the resort walls, and you can share the promises of Jesus with forgotten people.

  • Kids Ministry: You will have opportunities to get to know and impact children and families in the community through Vacation Bible School. You will work with a local missionary to plan songs, games, arts and crafts, and Bible lessons for children in the barrio near your host ministry, Camp Caribe.

  • Community Outreach: There might even be opportunities to help with manual labor in homes in the local community.

  • Camp Ministry: You will work with Camp Caribe on the beach in Juana Diaz, supporting the ministry as they provide local children the opportunity to have a weeklong adventure and VBS camp experience most cannot afford. What an incredible opportunity to build on the investment and simple friendships you will make with the children in the barrio through VBS and your time spent there!

Helping these children to see beyond the life of the barrio will be instrumental in moving kids and families away from believing cyclical poverty, drugs, and crime are their destiny.


Is God calling you or your youth group to serve in the barrios of Puerto Rico during Spring Break and Summer 2016? Click HERE for more information!