TRIP TO MASSACHUSETTS-MAINE

August 8, 2017

8/6/17

Hi World,

It has been a while since I have written, but nevertheless, I have been busy. I got to Massachusetts about two and a half weeks ago. I ran some errands and got my bag packed for a mission trip to Mexico, Maine. Before the trip my cousin and I went to the Kendrick Lamar and Travis Scott concert. Let’s just say it didn’t end so picture perfect. Actually it ended in a police station. Anyway, during the mission trip I was the only girl from out of state and it was my first time ever attending a mass at the church I would be sponsoring. The mission was through the Holy Trinity Parish with an organization called Beyond Sunday Missions. This was an amazing opportunity to meet new friends from the Quincy area and give back to the New England community as well. The first night was an adjustment. I loved all the girls that were going on the mission from the moment I met them, but the boys were a little harder to break the ice with. We got our rooming assignments and I shared a room with three others girls. Little did I know that night, that the entire crew of girls would be in our room every night for the astounding GT (GIRL TALK)! The first day, we were each assigned a job of either cleaning, cooking, spirituality, or free time depending on the groups we were assigned the night before. These were also the groups that would be working together on the sites. I had a wonderful group that worked really well together. We had an elderly couple to care of. Dale was a veteran of WWII and his second wife Phyllis was a very kind lady who greeted us everyday. Well, we scraped their bathroom until it was no longer a rust color, but an off white. Quite a success! Additionally, we built them a new ramp and caulked the gaps within the ceiling. While we were helping this nice couple who were also joined by their two sons, I had the opportunity to really get to know my group, students and adults alike. I was so pleasantly surprised at how I was welcomed into their community especially by my now great friend Ronan who I proceeded to see everyday in Massachusetts after the trip. On Wednesday we went on a hike. Probably the hardest hike I have ever done. Some of us took turns carrying the cross up the mountains to symbolize Jesus carrying his cross up Golgatha. We proceeded by climbing the summit or the highest point, praying, eating, and hiking back down with rocks in our bags to symbolize our sins. The next night, we went on a prayer walk in the forest by ourselves to get connected with God and to return our metaphorical sins to God by placing them in front of a large cross at the end of the walk. After two more work days we proceeded to head back to Massachusetts and say our farewells to some great friends. The following week was followed by some fun days with my friends to a Rexham Beach in Marshfield and many trips to several different beaches and to nana house, of course. Additionally, I went on a few college visits to Boston University, Boston College, and Tufts. For my seventeenth birthday, my family and I made the trip to Osterville in Cape Cod to ride the boat to Nantucket and have an elegant dinner at the Captain’s Table in the Wianno Yacht Club. The last night, a few friends and I went to the Brad Paisley concert at the Xfinity Center for an end of the trip adventure. Anyway, it was a great end to a fabulous summer of extravaganzas!

Be Brave Today

XOXO

Lyricallivi