Another summer has gone by and another mission trip has been accomplished. Each year I am blessed with the opportunity to travel to new places, to meet more volunteers with the same passion, and to visit more lives of less fortunate people. Every year's journey teaches me something new and leaves memories that have undoubtedly impacted my life in many ways. Summer 2013 gave me the chance to travel alongside a medical mission group comprised of dedicated doctors, dentists, and pharmacists to serve as a volunteer interpreting and assisting in the department of dentistry. I had to chance to travel to many remote villages all over Vietnam and continued to work alongside such an amazing force of volunteers that have collaborated with me for the past few years. Their dedication and passion in helping others is truly admirable and makes our long and tedious trips worthwhile. Traveling to rural villages through long hours of transportation, getting lost, and staying in not so comfortable living conditions has kept us all grounded and continues to teach me to appreciate everything I have everyday. Seeing smiles on faces of children after receiving gifts, tears in the eyes of family members after receiving a house they can call home, and pure happiness in poor villagers who have hope that although they are suffering daily; that their are people out there who love and care about them is an indescribable feeling. No act of kindness however small is wasted. I'd like to thank my family, friends, volunteers, and sponsors for your unwavering support and faith in me and for making this journey possible. I hope to meet people with golden hearts, because each golden heart is like a ray of sunshine that keeps the world light everyday.
