I am inspired to know that more people keep realizing the value of the development process that Outreach International uses. This is Chelsea Carter's reflection after she returned from a site visit to Nicaragua with Outreach International:
Just over one year ago, I began to think about taking the Nicaragua Winter Term. The first time I heard about the trip was in a Sunday night service at Graceland University. The speaker shared her testimony about the trip, and described how the experience radically changed her life in profound ways. This is the sort of story that seemed to come from everyone who talked about his or her visit to Nicaragua. The stories stayed consistent from student to student in terms of how the trip so greatly impacted their lives. It almost became a sort of joke between my circle of friends and I. Every semester when we heard that someone had just got back from Nicaragua, our first question to them was always, “Well did it change your life!?”
After hearing this same testimony over and over from a broad spectrum of personalities across campus, I began to consider the possibility that maybe I should check out this potentially life changing experience too.
Before I left for Nicaragua, I was very apprehensive and worried that I would come back to the States without that same life-changing experience that everyone else seemed to have had in years before. I have traveled a lot, and I would say that I had seen quite a few things in my life, compared to some my age. This being the case, I did not know if I would be as shocked and shaken by the things we would be seeing in Nicaragua. I had almost prepared myself for this outcome, and crossed my fingers that I would have just as rich of an experience as everyone else had.
Now, a year later, I cannot help but have a testimony very similar to those that I once laughed at. The only difference was that when my friends and parents asked me the same question, if my life had been changed, my answer was given with a big smile, and I said that we will just have to see! I said this knowing full well that every student who had testified to a life-altering experience had been right.
I know that my experience in Nicaragua will influence the rest of my life. It is difficult to put into words the ways that my life will be influenced, simply because I am still processing all that I learned, saw, and felt there. The most important lesson I learned during the trip was to stop being afraid. I did not realize how much of my life I have been afraid. Afraid of being wrong, afraid that I do not have what it takes, afraid of uncomfortable situations, the list goes on.
The trip showed me that I can do so much more than I ever gave myself credit for. I learned that I am wrong a lot, and as long as I learn from that, being wrong is ok. I learned that I have everything I need to be successful, but that I had just lacked self-confidence. As far as uncomfortable situations go, the entire trip was one big uncomfortable situation for me. I was traveling in a foreign country where I did not speak the language, I looked different from the people living there, and I lived in a stranger’s home for a day and a half. I learned to face the discomfort head on, and I embraced it.
I noticed during my visit how much of the people’s lives were devoted to their families. I know for a fact that I will value my family more. The people there realize that their family is worth risking everything for. I have never experienced that kind of commitment and love for ones family in so many different families at one time. It was very much a cultural change for me, compared to some families in the United States. Some testimonies were about individuals who had risked crossing into the United States for the good of a sick family member, in order to send back money that could not be made there in Nicaragua. Other individuals told of traveling alone, without a plan or means of transportation or money, to try to find a family member. I was amazed at the lengths the people would go to provide and take care of their families. It was truly remarkable and I hope that I will take this lesson to heart and have the same commitment and determination to be with and help my family the way they do.
I had known about Outreach International before this trip, and the organization's dedication to help the poor help themselves. However, I did not realize how much time and effort goes into each project. My mind was blown when I learned in the first presentation of how long Alcance (Outreach International in Nicaragua) staff worked in the communities. The staff works with each community for around fifteen years before they begin distancing themselves more and more, and letting the community take the lead. The best part is that OI has found a system that has been proven to work. Communities learn how to operate and accomplish tasks for themselves, to help better their lives and the lives of others.
Last year, I sponsored a child through the World Vision Organization. I gave $35 a month that went to buying her school supplies, food, and water, and helping her community. Looking back on that now, I realized that giving $35 would not help her in the long run. It was a very short-term benefit, and an expensive one coming from a college student’s salary. I stopped sponsoring the girl at the end of last year, knowing that I would not be making enough money over the summer to keep up the payments. After my trip to Nicaragua, I know that OI has a much farther-reaching impacts than World Vision. Once I graduate, I hope to boost my donations for OI, knowing that my money would be put to better use supporting an organization that does not give handouts, but helps strengthens the community from the inside.
Thank you for sharing your insights!
Posted by: David Bolton | March 14, 2009 at 12:04 AM