Looking back at the mission trip

Our group would gather together to depart back to the United State on Friday, March 22. As we loaded back up in the van and headed off, many talked and reflected on the time spent in Peñasco.

While many of the group experienced some minor culture shocks like the available amenities, the cultural issue of litter in the street, extreme poverty; the amount of thanks, experiences, sights and new friends seemed to extinguish any of the negatives that were found on the trip. The smiles from the children, parents and grandparents who we helped medically, through teaching sewing techniques, construction jobs, or just through conversation, made the greatest impact on me during the trip and made the bad sunburn more than worthwhile.

For many of us, it was a realization about how comfortable and lucky our lives in the U.S. are. We often take for granted the things we see in our day-to-day life, and for those impoverished living in Puerto Peñasco, any small positive can often be seen as a blessing.

If you are interested in volunteering for a trip to Puerto Peñasco or Puerto Rico with Well Child International, or are interested in making donations of items or money to the organization, please feel free to contact Michael Birnbaum at michael@islonline.com for more information.