Abby Bender: Serving Outside the Country

Abby Bender has spent countless hours of her time serving those in need not only in her own community, but also those in foreign countries.

Abby has shown how much of a positive difference one student can make, and is a great example of caring and how service can uplift others and ourselves. She said:

“I have been to the Dominican Republic seven times but have always wanted to do more. This past summer I spent three weeks on a missions trip in Peru. We lived along the Amazon River and got to serve the local communities with whatever they needed. We ran VBS and teen soccer programs, hosted church services, and visited people’s homes to get to know them.“

“This trip taught me the beauty in living simply. We lived with very little resources and our main focus was always how we could serve those around us. It taught me that when you’re focusing on others, you don’t have time to worry about what you don’t have.”

Abby and her experiences exemplify how helping others can allow us to reflect on our lives and what we can do help others. Thank you Abby for your positive contributions to those around you, ELCO High School, and the world. :)