Honduras is a Central American country. Honduras’s official language is Spanish, and their population is 9.57 million people. Some cities and villages are very dangerous, but not all of them.  Since 2010, Honduras has had one of the highest murder rates in the world, according to the Overseas Security Advisory Counsel (OSAC), and some parts of Honduras are considered the most dangerous cities in the world, as reported by World Atlas. 

Despite the danger, I went on a mission trip to San Pedro Sula Trinidad, Honduras. My church helps out on a project that Marianna Marques started. With the help from the church and donations, Marques opened a school at the The Juan Orlando Hernandez Public School called the Trinidad School of Nursing. The school’s nursing program promotes education, health and economic opportunities.   

My trip last July 2018 to Honduras was with 19 missionaries to provide for those in need. I stayed there for a week and every day we went to a different village to distribute medicine, food, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. We also brought doctors and dentists along. 

Each person had a job, including me; my job was to give people medicine and explain what it was used for. I also gave people toothbrushes and toothpaste. Many of the Honduran people are very poor. Some of them don’t even know what a toothbrush is. We had to explain what it was, and what it does. 

While the parents were receiving the medication, the kids would usually sit outside and play. Seeing the smile on their face playing made my day. The kids didn’t have toys or money, but they made the best out of things. Some people here [in the United States] have everything and they’re not happy.

Prior to going on this trip to Honduras, I used to complain about little things, like when my phone didn’t really work and it was slow; but there was no connection there. My phone would only work in the hotel.  I leaned that people don’t need objects to be happy, they only need a purpose.  I saw how some people who live there don’t have anything and they don’t complain about life. I began to change; I completely see things different now.   

Here in the United States we have everything and we still complain. Honduran teenagers don’t get full education. Public education in Honduras is free only until 5th grade, so most kids don’t go to school beyond that. Education is one of the reasons why immigrants move here. Here, we get free education and we can also get free scholarships. I learned that I have to see the good side of everything, and be thankful for everything that I have. 

This mission trip made a big impact in my life. I will always remember it. I never thought that going to a different country and seeing how people live there would change the way I see things. I hope this article helped you see how going to a different country can change the way you see and think.