By Christina Gonzalez, Baylor University ’22

In March 2020, members of the Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) and Multicultural Association of Pre-Health Students (MAPS) at Baylor University joined forces to partner with One More Child, and serve in the Dominican Republic over their Spring Break. Throughout the mission trip, students helped lead children’s Bible study, and provided public health education to children and families.

Education. Something that I didn’t know I was taking for granted. It wasn’t until I came to the Dominican Republic where I realized how blessed I was to be able to attend such a prestigious university. It is such an honor to receive any type of education, and I was never fully aware of that. The children in the Dominican were so excited and eager to learn.

I often find myself just memorizing material to get me through the next exam. Once I take the test, half of the material becomes a blur my head. I did not know doing that was taking advantage of my professors and my education.

These students were willing to learn and always wanted more information. We taught them something as simple as brushing teeth. Two days after our teeth brushing health talk, they were still singing songs we taught them and bringing up the puppets we used during our demonstration.

Another eye opening moment was when a little girl was telling me she ripped her skirt, her only skirt for school, and she was afraid to go to back to school because she didn’t want to get made fun of. She contemplated not going, but she ultimately chose to return since she she “couldn’t miss a day of learning because it is too much of a loss!” She was excited to learn French and subtraction that day.

There are days where I do not want to go to class, without any urgent reason or explanation. It was amazing seeing how these students never had maximum capacity when it came to learning. They were always left wanting more and were very attentive. After this trip, I will never take any education for granted. I will carry this important lesson with me, and always apply it to my life.

Christina Gonzalez is a sophomore Entrepreneurship major, and serves on the MAPS public relations committee at Baylor University. 

Baylor Missions would like to thank the servant faculty-leaders that prepared and led this team on their experience: Mary Ann Jennings, Beth Lanning, and Beth Williams.

To view this team in action and other Spring Break #BearsOnMission check out the SB20 Takeover Highlight on Instagram: @BUmissions.

ABOUT BAYLOR MISSIONS
Baylor Missions seeks to shape Baylor University’s faithful engagement with Waco and the world by creating intentional opportunities to integrate faith, learning, and service within a broad Christian worldview. Learn more about Baylor Missions at www.baylor.edu/missions.

As a unit within the Office of Spiritual Life , Baylor Missions strives to nurture theological depth, spiritual wholeness, and missional living in students, staff, and faculty at Baylor University.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.