Crazy driving, food in plastic bags and a
soccer school for boys are some of the things
senior Lindsay Kelly experienced during
her 10-day adventure to the capital of El
Salvador, San Salvador.
Kelly and her sister, Lauren, joined an
open team and traveled to El Salvador over
the summer with five others on a mission
trip to help those in need.
Kelly said she was inspired by how the
people in El Salvador viewed others.
“Salvadorans are full of happiness
because they are so close to their families,
friends and God,” Lauren said. “They understand
the most important things in life and
that it’s not what you have in life. It’s who
you are as a person.”
Kelly and her sister were surprised by
some differences, specifically the roads.
“They drive like crazy people there. No
rules,” Kelly said. “There are stop signs, but
no one stops. They don’t follow anything.
It’s super crazy.”
The trip to El Salvador changed how
Kelly views the importance of learning Spanish
and taking her classes seriously.
“[Before] I just goofed off for the whole
class, and it was too hard for me, so I just
gave up and now I have a reason to learn,
and I want to learn so bad,” Kelly said. “I’m
taking classes so I can learn. I really want to
be able to communicate with them and not
have a barrier.”
The bonds they made with the children
and the people they worked with were very
inspiring and sentimental for Kelly.
“We worked at this soccer school with
all these little boys, and we played soccer
with them, and we played games with them
all day,” Kelly said. “That was the best part
of the trip, making relationships with those
boys”
Kelly and her sister are planning on
spending two months in El Salvador next
summer and hopefully many more to come.
Kelly’s dedication and determination to
help others in need has inspired some of
her peers, and they wish to help too. Kelly’s
friend, senior Hailey Belcher, was one that
was inspired by her trip.
“It was really cool to see her with all
the people over there and helping them,”
Belcher said. “It was really inspiring to see
her go spend a week of her summer helping
people out in a foreign country.”
Both Kelly and her sister said everyone
needs to go on at least one mission trip.
“It really is impossible to explain the
emotions, the changes, the learning, the
loving etc., that happens on a mission trip,”
Lauren said. “Just make it happen. It will
teach you so much about other people, while
you also learn about yourself, and it will
truly change your life forever.”
When Kelly came back, both her friends
and family could see a difference in her
behavior and views on life.
“She came back, and I could tell she was
different,” Belcher said. “Just seeing that
situation made her more grateful for life. She
was telling me about what they have over
there compared to over here. I think it was
a culture shock for her. She’s always talking
about them and wanting to go back.”
Lauren Kelly said she saw her sister
grow up.
“She saw all the innocent and poor kids
who barely have anything, yet are so full of
faith and happiness and it really brought the
caring and giving side out of her,” Lauren
Kelly said. “I think she learned how important
those small gestures, like smiles and
laughs, are when there’s a language barrier.”
Kelly came home with a new sense of
purpose.
“We went down there with the intention
of helping other people, and I think they
helped me more than I could ever help
them,” Kelly said. “They gave me a whole
new perspective on life, and now it’s something
I’m super passionate about.”