Peru Mission Trip // Chasidy

July 08, 2019

As a girl that has never been outside the country, I knew that my trip to Peru would be an adventure that I wouldn’t forget. What I didn’t realize is just how it would change my life and the way I see it.

Going into this trip, one of the things that I was extremely excited for was meeting my Sponsor child and how I was going to make a difference in the lives of this community. I had many questions to answer personally and what would I take back with me to keep the passion burning to make a difference.

Although there were many things that I experienced that were amazing during my trip in Peru, there were two things that really stood out for me. The first were the days of humanitarian aid. Being a part of building a home from the ground up for a single mom with children that needed help was an honor. It was definitely hard work, but in the end just seeing the face of the mom and little girl when they had a home was all worth it. The appreciation in their eyes and how thankful they were really was validation that we all made a difference. The second day of humanitarian aid, I was in charge of giving each family in need rice so they had food. I just remember meeting a mom and her little daughter around 3 or 4 years old. When I laid the bags of rice in the mom’s arms, the little girl pointed, smiled, and jumped up and down with joy. It really touched my heart seeing that. Just thinking about my own children and how grateful we all should be for what we have.

The second thing that really had an impact on my life was meeting my Sponsor child. I knew that Maricielo was 13 years old and came from a broken home where she helped her mom take care of her siblings. I visited her school which was San Antonio on Wednesday evening. We were all touring the church and walking out when a girl walked up to our translator and started speaking. As soon as I saw her, I just knew that she was my Sponsor child. I didn’t have to understand what she was saying to know she was looking for me as I was looking for her. I just gave her a big hug and we spent some time together and I cherished every moment spent. I really hated to leave her but knew that someday we would meet again.

My time in Peru has had a huge impact on my life. I am so thankful that I got a chance to be a part of this amazing mission with Altar’d State. I took back the passion and drive to make a difference every day. Since my Peru trip, I ask myself every day, “How have I impacted someone’s life today?” I am teaching my own children to be thankful and grateful for what they have and to always think of others.

-Chasidy, District Manager