Kenzie Schuler enjoys her mission trip to Africa by spending some quality time with some children from the orphanage. Photo contributed by: Kenzie Schuler
By Hunter Stevens
In one’s lifetime there are very few things that make an impression. It either takes a very unique experience to make a huge impressions, or a very small experience that you don’t expect. In this case, it is a mission trip.
Two years ago freshman Kenzie Schuler turned 13 and was finally old enough to go on the mission trip of her dreams. “My church has been taking trips to Africa for along time. I’ve always felt led to go on missions. When I turned 13, my parents said I was finally old enough to go. And so, I did!”
Of course, people do not just get handed something amazing, they have to work for what they get. She did not just get to go on her two week trip to Africa, she had to raise money for it as well. “I had to raise $2.800 for this trip. We also had several training meeting that helped us prepare for the long trip.” Of course, her own family contributed, but she had to reach out to other family and friends for donations as well. Not only did she have to get donations, but she had to get shots in advance to fight off the chances of her getting malaria.
After enduring forty hours of travel time, she finally reached her destination, Uganda. Uganda is the South Eastern part of Africa to the right is Kenya, and the left is Democratic Republic of the Congo. Right when the church missionaries got there they set off on their mission, gave people bibles, held pastors’ conferences, and just constantly gave. The missionaries spend most of their time giving clothes and food and spreading the love of God all over Africa. Kenzie says, “Loving on all the kids from the orphanage was one of, if not the best, parts of being in Africa. They are so happy, and all they want is to be loved like every other child.”
They stayed in a little village in Uganda with a husband and wife named Williams and Peruth Beshiias, the missionaries pastors in Africa. The Beshiias were starting a church in Africa for an orphanage called, “Grace Children’s Home.” The Beshiias were a couple that had visited America many times, and have kept in touch for many years. While staying with them in Africa, Peruth and several other African ladies got up at six in the morning and cooked food for them until around ten at night. This meant a lot to them all on the mission trip because the village they were staying in had very little food, but the women still cooked that long all day and made the missionaries eat before them so they would be satisfied.
The most memorable and one of the hardest obstacle that Kenzie had to deal with was spending a whole day cleaning the streets. Additionally, it was summer, so it was extremely hot out. She enjoyed every second of it though because she was giving a gift to people that very rarely have clean streets.
While there were many magnificent times, moving to Uganda for two weeks was an extremely hard transition to make. Schuler states, “The atmosphere was nothing like America. We stayed in a small one room building with no hot water and lots of mosquitoes which was scary because I’m allergic to them! But, luckily we had nets over our beds, so I didn’t have tons of bites all over me.”
Despite the rough transition, she claims that it was even more difficult when she returned to America, “It was a very hard transition to make coming back to America. Truthfully, I didn’t want to leave. The people there are so much more happy and grateful for what they have.”
Sometimes it takes a real life event to impact one’s life. Sometimes it is just something little. No matter how big or small it is, it teaches a lesson. Schuler learned that life is too short to take for granted, and sometimes not having anything at all helps everyone realize how blessed someone is.
The church missionaries spend their last few days with their African family. Photo contributed by: Kenzie Schuler