“This is my fourth trip to the Dominican Republic and it might have also been my favorite so far. The people here are amazing and it truly blows me away every single trip. We started off at the girls orphanage being able to play kickball and volleyball with them. Although, my favorite part was getting my hair braided and they even said I looked beautiful with it braided. Then, we proceeded to go visit the boys orphanage and hangout with them. I got to see Anthony again and everytime I do it brings a tear to my eye seeing him doing so well in his circumstances. I also made a new friend named Michael, who is in a wheelchair but is one of the most joyful kids I have ever met. We spent the day running through sprinklers and going off-roading. It was honestly one of the most fun days I have had in a long time. I also got the chance to visit Kike’s home village, Los Montones. Those people blow me away every single time with how kind they are. They live in worse conditions than 99% of people from the United States but they are somehow happier than 99% of people in the United States. In the past, I have wondered why that is and now I know the answer is because they have the Lord on their side and trust in his plan no matter what. And I think that’s the biggest lesson anyone can take away from them: If you trust in the Lord and trust His plan for you, then you can truly find peace and happiness. This trip has been amazing and I’m looking forward to coming back in January. It is great to be able to impact the people here, but their impact on us is what truly matters.”
