Summer break provides plentiful time for students to rest before the upcoming school year. While this is a common occurrence for children in our country, many children and families around the globe aren’t able to relax in the same ways we are. Through the work of missionaries who take trips around the world, help is available to many different communities.

Carson Wicks, an eighth-grade student at Creekside Christian Academy, participated in an extremely helpful missionary trip over his summer break. In a village near Lima, Peru, Wicks and his family, along with other missionaries, provided free medical and optical services to people in the community. Individuals were given eye exams in the optical clinic in order to receive a new pair of glasses which were fitted on the patients to ensure they were perfectly comfortable. Wicks explains that they were able to accomplish this by partnering with a local church.

During the trip, lasting just ten days, care was provided to 2,861 patients, according to Wicks. Five of the days were spent in the medical and optical clinics, and Wicks states, “the other days were spent traveling, setting up and preparing for the clinics, and visiting some local sites.” This kind of care is crucial, and being able to provide individuals with optical care that they would not otherwise be able to receive is an amazing accomplishment.

When asked about what he learned during his mission trip, Wicks says, “I learned there are very needy people in this world who don’t get to have what we have in America.” While helping people get their prescriptions and new pairs of glasses, Wicks was greatly impacted by the joy and gratitude of every patient. He explains that this experience helped him recognize he should be grateful for everything he has.

Wicks provided some photos from his time on his mission trip, showcasing the new, strong connections he made during his time in the village. As summer comes to a close and the holiday season begins, we should all keep Carson Wicks and his family’s story in mind, and strive to give back to those in need.

By Savannah Schofield