In pictures of missionary works you can see people of many ages: children, teens, and adults. Unlike what I had envisioned it would be, they weren’t sitting on formal meetings and listening to whatever discussion the leader or the speaker was telling them. Instead they are allowed to go to any spot they wish and therefore created a very informal discussion regarding Christ, which is very contrasting to Masses. People say it’s more effective since you learn about life by living it with other people you love, not by feeding the listener information about the Bible like robots. “You know what you are and what you live for from experience,” a close friend of mine used to say. “It’s also good to listen in a class in school, but you may never understand a certain situation if you just sit and take notes. Life isn’t just about writing your own novel, because in novels you have only one path to go and you can already expect what ending will happen. People have the two elements Freedom and Intellect to change your course.” 

   Whenever I see pictures such as these I really couldn’t help but admire the way the volunteers risked their lives and safety and are willing to share their time and effort just to create oneness among the needy. I really like the two pictures I picked among the three since they showed how the children and the adults weren’t forced there to listen and praise the ones involved but they went there to have fun and learn more about Christianity by spending time with their new brothers. It makes me also feel guilty since I waste my time usually just slouching about or demanding material possessions that I don’t have yet in my collection. Whenever I see a child dressed in tattered clothes or see their overjoyed faces when they receive a mere piece of ordinary bread, I always feel a pang in my heart.

   This is very fruitful not only to the listeners but to the volunteers or missionaries as well, because they also learn from the strangers—in culture, experience, and moral values. I read some journals of the volunteers and they often say in the end how meaningful the trip was because they learned a lot in the different customs, and also they realize that none of them were really preachers or the teachers; the children and the “needy” people also taught them in many ways that gave them a different turn. “That’s what makes it completely different from classes,” one of the listeners quoted. “In our time the teacher gives us the procedure on how to do it. But this is more plentiful since in here we weren’t ordered but we are free to also share what we have in our inner thoughts. Here, all of us are treated like real human beings that are imperfect and searching for knowledge and love and companionship.” It’s really amazing how one simple but healthy discussion can actually change one’s direction when you think about it.