Emily Cuba, Missionary

I cannot even begin to express how blessed I am to have been able to go on a second international mission trip with Soles4Souls. I never would have been able to without the support and generosity of the parishioners at this church. Without everyone that attended Fest or donated shoes, none of us would have had the opportunity to do God’s work and serve others in Costa Rica. I learned so much throughout this week about others and my faith and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. It was truly breathtaking and I hope everyone can have a similar experience at one point another in their lives. 

After traveling to Honduras in June of 2018, I did not think anything could exceed that trip, but I was wrong. Costa Rica was everything I hoped it would be and more. I grew stronger in my faith, formed friendships that will last a lifetime, and truly saw God’s love in each and every person on the trip. Everyone that travelled connected so quickly with one another and we really became each other’s second family. We cried together, we laughed together, we sang together in the vans and all of those things just brought us even closer together. We even became family with the people in Costa Rica. John, Jill, and all the others were so ready to welcome our whole dysfunctional group into their lives with open arms. They uprooted their lives to move to Costa Rica and begin a preschool for the women who pick coffee during harvest season. It takes tremendous strength to be able to do what they did for the community. 

My favorite story from the trip was at our last distribution on Tuesday at a preschool. We were divided into stations and I was in the back of the school with a parachute and beach balls. I started playing with this one little girl named Angie and it was like we connected almost instantly. Her eyes lit up with so much excitement I thought she might burst. All we did was throw a blow up beach ball back and forth for 15 minutes, but she was having so much fun and so was I. It came time for the group to leave and she gave me a hug. Later, when we were all told to go outside and pair up with a kid, she saw me and came right back with her beach ball to play some more. I was amazed that she remembered me because all of us wore the same shirt and I was one of the many girls with braided hair. Angie was filled with so much joy by only throwing around a ball and it helped me realize how spoiled we are. 

Even after Honduras, coming back home was extremely hard. To see all the things we have, but don’t think twice about is sickening. We take so much for granted that we can’t even begin to imagine. I am so much more thankful for all of the materialistic things I have now. Although the Costa Ricans may be poor in materials, they are so rich in love and we were able to see that in meeting every single person. I only wish everyone could experience what I had the privilege to in Costa Rica. I am so grateful to have gone on this trip with so many amazing people and blessed to be a part of Saints John and Paul. 

—Emily Cuba, Missionary