There is possibly no greater satisfaction than helping someone in need. The students at Milo Adventist Academy learn this every year when they participate in the mission trips that the school offers. This year, Poptun, Guatemala, was one of the destinations for those who chose to serve others.
After months of raising funds and preparing, the students flew to Guatemala City, where they loaded their gear on the bus that would take them out to Instituto de Capacitacion Adventista del Peten (ICAP), the Guatemalan boarding school. The bus kept breaking down, and it was amazing that it even reached its destination.
After spending Friday and Saturday with the hospitable ICAP students, the group rode the bus to the jungle site where for the next two weeks they would be building a living complex for those who would later build a hospital. The group stayed in a primitive, roofless warehouse with gaping holes at both ends, and they slept on the “floor,” which was really rocks and shale. Throughout their time there, students and staff members alike took part in making the situation fun and humorous. They even laughed through a howler monkey attack, a scorpion bite and an imbedded tick.
Students from Milo's Spanish class put on a Vacation Bible School for 200 children in the area. The Milo students promptly lost their hearts to the Guatemalan children who poured into the community center to enjoy crafts, songs and games. Each child also received a stuffed animal to keep.
The mission trip touched the people who went to help as well as the people in Guatemala. “The mission trip was truly a blessing to me,” said Kimmie Coggins, a Milo junior.
Jessica McNeil, MAA sophomore, holds one of the precious children at Vacation Bible School.
The Milo mission group started housing for construction workers who will build a hospital in this primitive area.
