Service in Banica

The Four Things I Learned on Mission in Banica
Reflection by Maggie Flynn '18
First, I learned that my fears were normal. Everyone was afraid of what the culture was going to be like, and yes, while it was different and uncomfortable for many, it was great in that it forced us to lean on God in a way we never have. We were afraid of not liking the food, and trying not to open our mouths in the shower, and the “biggest mosquitoes you’ll ever see.”

I know that I, for one, felt like I was a weak disciple of Jesus for feeling the way I did. I was quick to learn that I had no right to feel that way because there was no time to wallow in my fears and doubts; in fact, I learned that there was not a better time in my life to completely rely on the Holy Spirit and to put my weaknesses before God.

Second, I learned that some of my feelings were legit. We were jet-lagged and exhausted, so a laid-back first day took care of that. But, we were completely disoriented. For a lot of us, this trip was our first time out of the country. We felt out of control because we couldn’t control the transportation, many of us didn’t understand Spanish, and frankly, you have no idea what the next toilet situation you’ll be in will be like. We quickly learned that the afternoons of downtime were not to be wasted. They were strategically planned for water-drinking, reflection, resting, more water drinking, and non-isolation.

I learned to take it one day at a time. It was important for a planner, like me, to not get ahead of myself and to take it one day at a time. It was hard to not count down the days until I was home in my air-conditioned house, however, I found comfort in asking God “what do you want me to experience TODAY that is part of your world?
That brings me to final and most important point I took away from the trip. I learned to remember that God’s plan was to expand my view on the world.

Finally, since I mentioned my fear of the huge mosquitoes, I only feel it’s right to tell you that there were some big bugs, but what I really remember is not the size of the bugs, but the size of the smiles. The smiles began at the airport -- way too early that Saturday morning -- and became a daily occurrence on the back of the Daihatsu and while hanging out with the local children outside of the church. It’s corny, but I feel I should add that the smiles never really ended, as we now have a team Snapchat group chat, in which we get to see each other’s beaming smiles all around the clock.
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St. Paul VI Catholic High School is a private Diocesan Catholic preparatory school for girls and boys in grades 9-12 in Chantilly, Virginia, seeking to help our students Grow in Grace and Wisdom. Our school is part of the Diocese of Arlington and offers rigorous academics, an inclusive community focused on spiritual and leadership formation, and a proud athletic tradition featuring nationally renowned programs competing in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association.

St. Paul VI Catholic High School is an accredited member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.