livinafrica

Liv went on a mission trip to Africa for a month. She signed up with friends from her church. Her parents were supportive, despite concerns about safety. The trip involved construction and teaching in schools. Liv found it eye-opening and gave her shoes to a girl in need. The trip helped the local community and gave them hope. Liv encourages others to go on mission trips for the eye-opening experience and to make a positive impact. Hi everyone. Today I am here with one of my close friends named Liv. She was able to go on a mission trip to Africa for a month. And so today I'm going to be interviewing her about what kind of that looked like for her and things that she got out of it. So let's see. So today I want to ask you some questions regarding your month long trip to Africa. First you want to tell me about how you got the opportunity to go on this trip. So it was like two years ago in the summer and I was at church and then my pastor was handing out flyers and it just sounded very interesting. So I went onto the website and checked it out and then I just signed up with some of my group friends. So those people that you went with, you knew them previously? Yes. How long have you been attending this church? Since I moved in my hometown, so second grade. Awesome. So upon hearing about this opportunity to go, what key characteristics about the trip stood out to you that you kind of knew that you wanted to go? Well, the type of person I am, I like helping people and I like putting, like giving service out to the community and stuff. And I just felt like it was a good way. It was kind of God's calling for me to do it when I saw it. And it just, it felt right in my heart to do it. I didn't want to just miss out on an opportunity that felt right. And it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, so I took it when I got the chance. Have you been on mission trips previously? I have not. That was my first one. Awesome. So upon getting ready for the trip, what did preparing for the trip look like for you? So, of course I had to talk to my family about it and that was all set in stone. We had, the church needed like a background check of all my like vaccines and shots and stuff that I've had. So that I had to get cleared to be able to go, since they like want you healthy and you're a bunch of people in a less developed country, I guess. And then, my church previously has done the trip before, but since it was my first time, I had to like do a waiver and stuff. And then, after all of that, like the safety and liability stuff was all done. I just had to pay like a one time fee for all of it and then the church would actually like clear its life as a whole and then like hotels or wherever we're staying. That's nice that they kind of have that, they have that already kind of set up, so it's easy just for someone, instead of having to plan out a trip you've never gone on before, you're settled, it's kind of already planned out for you, which is, that's nice. So, you said that you had to ask your parents about it. What was their initial reaction whenever you, you suggested or prompted that you wanted to go on this trip? Um, they're really supportive about it actually, just because my dad had been on one when he was younger. So, like he really enjoyed it and he thought, he got a lot out of it. My mom, she's more like, oh, hesitant, yeah, because like Africa for a month, yeah, that's, I mean, dangerous, I guess. But, she was like, if you really feel like it's like something you want to do and like, I know it's a good thing to do, that's why she was supportive about it. Because she like, knows like giving back and knows like God's calling. Especially probably going with your church, um, and another like international organization, I feel like it's a lot safer. Especially them doing it in years previous, instead of just kind of like going out solo on your own, sort of thing. And I've like talked about it with them before, like I'll see like, they talked about it and I really want to do this. So like, once the opportunity came, they're like, yeah, go for it. That's so sweet, that's awesome. Yeah, that must have been scary, um, as a parent, or for a parent to let go of their child for a different, to a different country for a month. I couldn't imagine even suggesting that to my parents. I feel like they'd like, look at me like I was crazy, like, yeah, like go help out at like a food, food bank or something. You don't need to go to Africa, yeah. That's funny. So, upon arrival, um, in Africa, what did, I guess the whole trip look like for you? Was there any like key events that stood out to you during this time? So, most of the trip was very routine, and like the guys would do construction on the houses and everything. And then most of the females would go into like the schools and teach lessons. So once I was in the school and like we did our lectures and everything, um, we would partner up, like all the girls in there from the church would partner up with a girl or a boy from the school and we would read a book to them. And it was just very interesting to see how like they learned compared to how I grew up learning. It's just, there's a lot of differences in that aspect. So on this trip, how many other people, um, went with you guys? It was probably about, it was a few years ago, so I can't like specifically tell you, but it was about 10 to 15 students and then like 7 or 8 faculty members. Were the students like all your age or were they all scattered different years in high school? Yeah, it was high school students, like freshmen and seniors. Okay, that's kind of how my church is too. Yeah. Looking back on your, um, experience going to Africa, what would you say, um, would be your most, probably your favorite part about the trip or like if there was any eye-opening, um, events that happened to you or even those around you? Um, probably my favorite part is, um, playing soccer with the kids and just running around with them because they got really excited and I've played soccer my whole life. So like, you know, sharing awareness with that. Eye-opening was probably when, it was actually when I was teaching. So I was reading a book with one of the girls after, you know, the whole lesson and I was wearing, I forgot what shoes I was wearing, but it was like one of my ideal pairs, let me tell you. And she pointed down and she was like, I really like your shoes and I was just like, thank you. And like, it got me thinking and I was just sitting there and it like opened my eyes to how grateful like I really am with what I have and like being privileged and stuff like that. After thinking about what the little girl said to me about like the shoes and everything, I thought about it and I realized like how grateful I am and privileged. So I went and I gave her the shoes the next day and it was just very eye-opening to see like her reaction to that and yeah. So how did, um, Dolls Church like affect the local community there? Like how did you positively affect them? Um, we help them by like doing things they may not have been able to do for themselves, like fix up their houses and teach themselves how to read and write and stuff like that. And then it was also, I feel like not only eye-opening for us, but eye-opening for them because they see like people want to help them and they have a hope for their future and things will get better. And that's just the whole point of the going, you know? So looking back on your whole trip to Africa, why do you think that many people like don't visit Africa? Like why is mission trips even in general just not a common thing? I just feel like people, they're so caught up in their own world and like, especially in the United States, like we are very lucky to have what we have, most of us. The United States is like, as a whole, we don't focus on the world around us and like we're just so focused on our country and what we're going to do next weekend or if our football team is going to win, like it's stuff like that. It's first world issues and then you look at the bigger picture and you realize like in these other countries, like they're having to worry about what they're going to put on a plate for dinner. Just stuff like that. I just feel like most people don't think about those things until you're really put into the situation. There's a lot of empathy that people tend to lack and then once you realize like you see it in front of your face, that's going to make you want to help them. Awesome, Liv. So as we're wrapping up, would you suggest or recommend people to go ahead and do the same? If they have the opportunity to go, kind of do the same thing that you were able to do? I would say yes, of course do it because like it's so eye opening and it also makes you feel like you're doing something more than just doing living life for yourself. Like a living life for a purpose and for others, I guess, and just be ready for it to like actually hit you in the heart and like it is very emotional. It is very rough. Some things you see is very rough, but at the end of the trip, you'll feel like you've saved a billion kids. It's crazy. So yes, go to Africa on a mission trip. That's awesome. Alrighty, well it looks like that concludes our podcast for today. Thank you, Liv, for your time. Thank you for having me, Rachel. Absolutely. Hopefully we can link up next week.