My Mission Trip To Managua, Nicaragua

“Connection is the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued,” according to research professor, Brené Brown. From a young age, I enjoyed helping others, especially when I could meet new people and forge friendships. It is this love of connecting with others that motivated me to travel to Managua, Nicaragua, this past summer. While preparing for this adventure, I was told this was not going to be an ordinary mission trip. We would not build houses or schools. However, we would be building relationships, my forte.
While visiting the Cultural Center of Batahola Norte, I truly connected with the people I met, whether by playing soccer, painting faces, or dancing. There was one little boy in particular, Isaiah, with whom I strongly bonded. I first met Isaiah as he was looking for a seat at a Nicaraguan culture performance at the Cultural Center. I offered him my lap, not knowing he would be glued to my side the rest of the evening. My lack of fluency in Spanish rendered verbal communication between us difficult, but we still managed to …show more content…
As I was finishing one of the books, I looked up and locked eyes with Isaiah, who was entering the room. His face lit up like the sun. His expression grew even brighter as he sprinted into my arms and gave me a warm embrace. In that moment, I knew I had created a special relationship with him, one that we would never forget.
Realizing I love to work with people, at an early stage in my life, inspired me to set goals that highlight my strengths. My goal for my life is to find ways to connect with and help people. That, to me, is the purpose of life, making connections with others. I consider this a defining characteristic of my life, a defining characteristic of who I am. If I can work together with others to make them “feel seen, heard, and valued,” then I would consider myself quite