My recent trip to Helene taught me how short-term missions can have long-term impact, both on those we served and certainly on my team. I traveled to Helene alongside a team of 15 others from my high school. Several of them had been on the trip before and decided to return, and it didn’t take me long to see why. From the moment we stepped off the boat, the kids rushed to greet us. It didn’t matter that they had never seen me before, they greeted me with a giant hug and excited screams. Their joy was contagious and set the tone of the rest of the trip. For the rest of our time there, there were always several kids near us at any given time ready to play and eager to interact in any way they could.

We spent a total of 5 days on the island, which feels impossible considering how much we were able to experience and accomplish. We were able to put on a VBS for the children, where we sang, danced, crafted, taught bible stories, and played sports. We engaged in door-to-door evangelism, where we were able to share the gospel and hear testimonies from islanders. We also had the privilege of splitting into smaller groups and having dinner in the community, getting to know inhabitants of the island and hearing about their lives and the role God has played in them. In addition to all of this, we served the community through various labor tasks. There was never an idle moment, but every time my energy started to feel low one of the kids would run up to me and give me a hug or I would hear an incredible testimony from an islander, and it would reenergize me for the next task ahead.

Our short time on Helene taught me so much about God, His creation, and His people. It was so cool to see the work He is doing in such a remote place, and such a good reminder of how big and mighty our God truly is. Before I even knew where Helene was on the map, God was preparing my heart and theirs for our trip there. Along the way I formed genuine connections with so many people, and although my time on the island was short, I know that the relationships formed will last a lifetime.

The thing that stood out to me most is how God is greater. Our team experienced more than our fair share of sickness and injury while we were there, but God was greater and allowed us to still accomplish everything we set out to do. We encountered several language and cultural barriers, but God was greater and allowed us to connect with the people on such a deep level. Many of the islanders have endured hardships in their lives, but God was greater and made those hardships into a testimony. The provision of the Lord is so present on Helene, and watching God work was such a beautiful thing to encounter. I am forever grateful to MEI for allowing us the opportunity to visit the beautiful island and people of Helene, and to God for His amazing creation!