This trip came about thanks to our aunt, Sarai Zavala, who has been a missionary with the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle for 23 years. She was the one who invited us to get to know Ethiopia up close, Its people and, above all, the mission to which she has dedicated her life. We traveled from Mexico, her sister Yadira, our great uncle Salvador (who was also lucky enough to celebrate his 91st birthday in Ethiopia), and us, Aranzazú and Samuel.
Until then, the mission was something we knew mainly through what our aunt told us when she came to Mexico. But being there was completely different. For the first time, we were able to see with our own eyes what her daily life is like and understand a little better why she decided to devote her life to others.
From the moment we arrived in Addis Ababa, we felt welcomed as if we were family. The missionaries we’ve known our whole lives—17 and 23 years, respectively—welcomed us with so much warmth.
Our first visit was to Dakuna mission in Endibir. There, the missionaries showed us around and explained the work they do with the community. Then we went to Muketurri, where we were able to get a little more involved and help, along with the volunteers who were there, with some of the activities for the children at the Mother and Child Center and at the nutricional units in the surrounding villages.
We finally arrived at Mizan Teferi. There, we met the children at the daycare center as well as children living on the streets, whom the missionaries are fully committed to helping build a better future.
The trip had a profound impact on us; our hearts witnessed something truly extraordinary: people who, with dedication and generosity, devote their lives to helping, inspiring, and supporting those who need it most. It has been an invaluable and moving experience, during which we were able to feel firsthand the love and passion that permeate each of the missions we visited: Endibir, Muketurri, and Mizan Teferi. Although each carries out a different mission, they all share the same purpose: to build a united community as brothers and sisters, children of God.
We were also impressed to discover that the missions are open to everyone, regardless of religion. They all seek to build communities capable of moving forward together, where each person can do their part.
Thanks to the constant effort, dedication, and commitment of everyone who is part of the mission, the fruits of their devotion are reaching farther and farther, touching more people and every heart they encounter along the way.
Having witnessed this work leaves an indelible mark on us and inspires us to be better human beings, reminding us that service, solidarity, and love for our neighbors have the power to transform lives and build a better world.
We have come to realize that what the missionaries achieve is making people feel grateful and heard when it comes to their needs, which builds a bridge to a faith in which people come together for the purpose of helping others. Because to help others, you don’t have to start with something huge, you can simply begin with the decision to look at the person in front of you, listen to them, and be willing to do something for them. And for us, that meant encountering a living God.
By Aranzazu Zavala and Samuel Sánchez
