Over the course of this mission trip I have had multiple challenges thrown at me to learn to be culturally aware and sensitive to the areas I served and will serve in. Some of the challenges are having taking cold three minute showers, sleeping uncomfortable areas with sleeping bags, and eating everything and anything put on your plate. I was in El Salvador this past week applying these challenges in a developing country.
A challenge in particular that has been more difficult would be taking the three cold minute shower as nothing feels better after a long day of service than a relaxing and warm bath. When I was in El Salvador I was staying at a local hotel, near Global Outreach Developments’s campus to help inform a new employee and team of translators how to host and do a service week in El Salvador. During this time I was able to connect with the translators and get to know them. At the hotel they had both cold and warm water to shower with, one of the translators was talking to me and how it was such a surprise to them that they had warm water there. Despite all of the translators being better off than a lot of the people we served, warm water in El Salvador is a rare commodity. In that moment I felt very humbled as I would often complain at home when the warm water would run out but I never had to consider only have cold water if there was enough to shower. I will remember this experience and take in consideration when I shower the resources I have and how to reshape my mindset.