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It is a privilege for one to say they have had a life-changing experience. It is not so often an instance occurs that reaches the depths of the person and ultimately changes their life in some way. It was in the mountains of Honduras that I had that privilege. The simplicity and poverty of the villages in which I lived, brought a new, exciting meaning and direction to my life. Before then, I knew I wanted to serve the needs of people in healthcare. It was my experience in Honduras that reached into who I am and directed it to dentistry.
My junior year of college was filled with exciting challenges and responsibilities that have shaped who I am today. From organizing and leading a weekly homeless ministry program in the ghetto of Pittsburgh, being a full-time student, and organizing and leading a spring break mission trip to Honduras, I most certainly was busy. Never did I expect these experiences to give me the experience and maturity they have, but I certainly never expected one of them to change my life as Honduras has. In March of 2008 I lead forty-six college students, on their spring break, to Trujillo, Honduras. Our mission was to support and care for the villages we visited in a myriad of ways. These people live in extreme poverty with no electricity or running water; they have been forgotten about even by their own country. The irony of my trip was that one little Honduran girl changed my life more than I could ever have changed hers.
Her big brown eyes staring deep into yours was an experience all in its own, but her smile is what changed the world. Maria was only five years old and, from having a father as a dentist, I could tell she had horrible gum disease, rotting teeth, and gingivitis. Luckily I had brought the basics up the mountain that day, a bag full of brushes and toothpaste. It was incredible to experience the joy from teaching Maria the most simple of hygiene and healthcare. We sat by the stream that ran through her town and I...