This summer I had the opportunity to serve with Mission Youth in Cobá, México, alongside a group of Regnum Christi missionaries from around the states. Our main project was helping build a chapel, and each day began with prayer before we spent hours in the heat, carrying beams and bricks, mixing cement, painting, and doing whatever else was needed to move the project forward.

 

Although the work was physically demanding, it became much more than a construction project. The kindness of the people we met left just as much of an impression on me as the work itself. Every day, a different family welcomed us into their home for lunch, and in the afternoons we either played with the children in the town park or went door-to-door sharing the Gospel.

 

Since I spoke Spanish, I had the opportunity to lead one of the missionary groups, and one afternoon a woman named Dorita who helped manage the church invited us into her home to share her life story. That simple conversation reminded me that sometimes the most meaningful part of serving is taking the time to listen. Looking back, what stays with me most is the realization that years from now the people of Cobá may not remember our names or exactly who built their chapel, but they will continue to worship there and benefit from the work we left behind. That taught me that serving God is not about being recognized for what you do, but about giving your time and talents so that others can grow closer to Him.

 

It is a lesson I hope to carry with me long after this mission trip.