What Can I Do? - by Laura

I am Laura and I am 11 years old. Lots of people ask me that when they see me helping out with our fundraisers for Guatemala. Then lots of people ask, “Do you go on the mission trip?” When I tell them, “Yes,” they look surprised. Then, I tell them this will be my 5th year going to Guatemala. Then they REALLY look surprised. I started going when I was 7 years old. I usually get asked lots of questions about if I work on the mission, and what I can do, because I am a lot younger than most of the other people that go on these types of trips. SO… I thought you’d like to know what I have done during mission work.

My first year in Guatemala, I helped build a roof on a school in the village of Santiago Zamora. It was really hard work, but I helped fill buckets of concrete to hand to the people who were on the roof. I also learned how to mix cement, and lay a brick wall at Hogar Miguel. We also sorted through mountains of clothes that were donated to the orphanage. The next year, when I was 8, I helped to build a playground, too. I painted concrete slides and monkey bars, and made a garden at the school too. I went with my Dad and we delivered and planted fruit trees to a bunch of homes in the village. I was also on a concrete floor crew one year. That was REALLY hard work, but I loved mixing the cement with the giant shovels. I jumped into the messy concrete before anyone else could get there. I loved splitting open the bag of concrete to pour in. Last summer, I learned how to build stoves for homes in the village of Santa Maria de Jesus. We could usually get a stove done in less than 2 hours. Then I helped to cook hotdogs for the family to celebrate their new stove. Hot dogs were a special treat, kind of like cake and ice cream for us. Every year, I help with Vacation Bible School, too. I help sing songs in Spanish. Every day we make a craft, and we try to play games with the kids. They like hula hoops and Frisbees, bubbles and sidewalk chalk. They love having a kid just their size to play with.

Well, now you know what I do on the mission trips. I think you can see, you are never too young to be able to do God’s work.