Mission Trips

Resilience and Service: My Grandmother and I

My journey in service began with two transformative mission trips that shaped my perspective on global citizenship and personal resilience. Traveling first to the British Virgin Islands following a series of devastating hurricanes, I worked alongside a dedicated team to restore local schools. As the youngest volunteer, at age 13, I learned to navigate discomfort, sleeping on a cot in shared quarters and working without the distractions of modern technology. This experience was a profound lesson in gratitude; it taught me how to align myself with a group objective to help those whose lives had been upended by natural disasters.

The next year, my second mission took me to Bayou La Batre, Alabama, where I joined forces with three church groups to support a community still recovering from storm damage. Whether I was helping to repair the homes of the elderly or engaging with local youth at the community rec center, I discovered the power of intentional outreach. These experiences taught me that my age was never a barrier to making a meaningful impact. Today, I carry a deep commitment to service, understanding that true leadership is rooted in empathy, adaptability, and the willingness to show up for others when they need it most.