Sarah Abao
What was one of the most exciting things you were able to do over the summer?
Other than the medical mission to Peru, I was able to go back to the Philippines with my family. I rekindled with loved ones and met my first cousins for the first time. Traveling around the islands, especially in the rain, was quite the experience and adventure. In addition to visiting the motherlands, I went to Thailand and explored Bangkok with my aunt who lived there. Here, I found my obsession with Thai food and of course, Thai tea.
How did you feel about providing medical care to these under-served communities in a completely different country?
I felt very humbled and blessed to be able to provide whatever help or medical attention to these under-served communities. In the beginning, I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. Speaking to the translator then the translator to the patient was a bit overwhelming at first until you got the hang of it. Working at clinics was rewarding yet humbling experience in seeing how thankful families and individuals react to your service. I’d admit, this one elderly patient thanked me with such joy and hugged me tightly. Overall, helping the people in Peru made me feel so warm with happiness inside.
Why do you think it is important to give back in the way you were able to in underserved communities?
Its important to give back to underserved communities because we discover that we should be grateful for what we have. It's an eye opener of how little we can give and yet put smiles on faces. This realization of giving back creates more opportunities for not only us, as people to grow, but the amount of care we can offer for others to do more for the community.
What was your favorite moment during your trip?
Aside from clinic days, my favorite moment of the trip would have to be spending quality time with the GMT fam. I’ll be honest with you, I wasn’t as close to everyone at first. Yet, with the amount of time spent for 10 consecutive days, I’ll tell you, you get to know a lot about each person you travel with. The crazy conversations talking over one another in the bus, the roast sessions we do out of love, and more importantly, the ability to be yourself around the people you trust you call “family.” Although it was a lengthy trip and we all had lack of sleep/fatigue, this Peru trip is definitely one to remember forever.
