Each summer, Azusa Pacific University students have the opportunity to learn about the value of serving others and sharing God’s Word by participating in Global Engagement (GE) trips around the world. Nursing and honors humanities double major Olivia Arretche ’28 joined the Honduras GE team because she wanted to use her passion for helping others by providing medical care to impoverished populations while getting connected with the APU and global communities.
The Honduras trip focused on youth ministry and providing medical care, partnering with Footsteps Missions, an organization that operates multiple centers in Honduras where children and locals living in poverty can receive the care and resources they need. The children's centers are called Gardens of Love and Hope. APU students spent time with the children playing games, cultivating intentional connections, and spreading the Word through fun activities.
While Arretche knew enough Spanish to understand the basics of what those around her were saying and to do some translating, navigating how to connect with the children despite the language barrier was a challenge for the team. During the ministry activities, the team had to find ways to make the activities engaging and educational for the children. At one of the centers, they used Spanish audio from a Bible app so that the children could understand the story, and then they were able to act it out together. At another garden, the team played a video in Spanish and then taught the kids a game that went along with the story. “I loved seeing how at the end of the trip, our team made connections with every kid despite the language barrier,” Arretche said. “The kids found so much joy in just running around or playing with us, and we didn’t need to speak their language to connect with them on a deeper level and make an impact in their lives.”
Arretche shared that interacting with the children was a meaningful part of the trip
and made a lasting impact on her faith. “Their faith and trust in God was inspiring,”
she said. “These children face many challenges, and they still have so much joy. It’s
refreshing to be in a place where there is so much faith in the Lord.” By immersing
herself in the culture and spending time with both the children and the staff at Footsteps
Missions, Arretche witnessed how God continued to provide for those at the gardens
in a way that shaped her own faith.
APU nursing students on the trip also had the opportunity to assist nurses and dentists providing care to those at the gardens. They conducted hemoglobin and blood sugar level tests and provided support during tooth extractions. Arretche said that the experience was very eye opening because of the difference in their access to healthcare. “In America, so many people dread going to the dentist or the doctor, but these children and adults were so grateful to receive care,” she said. “I noticed that they had a different outlook on healthcare. Even though the kids were nervous, they were still grateful, and it made me happy to be able to help them in that way.”
Gratitude and joy were themes that ran throughout both the big and small moments of Arretche’s time in Honduras. “There’s always something to be grateful for and joy to find in the life you have and through the Lord Himself,” she said. “The biggest lessons I took away from my time in Honduras were to pray without ceasing, be in constant communication with God, and be grateful for what I have.” On the trip, someone reminded Arretche that God was working in Honduras before the team arrived and will continue to work there after they left. This idea solidified her newfound trust and understanding of God’s plan. “It really inspired me because I saw how God is in full control of everything.”