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Mission Trip Analysis

Decent Essays

In my lifetime, many experiences have changed my character, with the most memorable being the mission trip I took to Parmelee, South Dakota. This endeavor showed me how to be caring and love everyone, despite their circumstances. Although it took time, I learned to show kindness to everyone and not just the people I feel comfortable around. During my missions work, one child revealed to me how to be compassionate to people who may not deserve it, and to give to other unconditionally.
Growing up in Winterset, I hadn’t experienced extreme poverty before. Upon arriving on the reservation, my eyes were opened to this new world. Most of the kids’ fathers were in jail and their mothers unemployed, so they lived in houses built by the government …show more content…

Typically, the kids would stuff the bags in their pockets and keep it hidden to prevent being ransacked by the other kids. Right after he claimed his prize, Jaston sat down next to me and offered me a Starburst. He started passing them out to other kids in the aisle. Perplexed, I asked him was he was sharing, and through a big grin said, “I like sharing because it makes people smile.” This statement has stuck with me and changed me in a way that . If Jaston could share the only thing that he owns, why couldn’t I show kindness to all of the kids? This act of gratitude changed my outlook on my time in Parmelee. Instead of solely teaching the kids the rest of the week, I was able to learn from the kids, too. Because of his kindness, Jaston opened the door for many more opportunities for me to grow as a caring person.
Coming home from the mission trip, I try and show this sympathy to everyone just like Jaston showed us. I learned to put other people’s needs above my own. Helping my siblings with their homework and baking cookies for my seminar are just a few, small ways I’ve tried to be giving. The next year I returned to the reservation, I didn’t have to wait for something to happen to start loving the kids and shaping my own character. This experience taught me to live for others and always be kind and sharing. I will always remember what Jaston said, and because of that I plan to always be

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