In July, PUC student Elena Freitas had the opportunity to participate in a biology department mission trip to Kandy, Sri Lanka. As an environmental studies major from Hilo, Hawaii, she was excited to visit a new country and serve the people. “Mission trips are my passion!” expressed Elena. “I love serving others, and the idea of participating in a medical mission trip immediately caught my attention. Not only would I be helping out with those who need medical care, but I would also lovingly serve through ministry, prayer, and the VBS program.”

They helped hundreds of patients, including locals who traveled more than 100 miles from Kandy and were eager to receive medical assistance. Her assigned duties included scheduling home and temple clinic visits for the community and helping with Vacation Bible School. One day, Elena had to entertain children with face painting, color activities, and games. She recalls painting flowers, hearts, and the Korean flag about 20 different times. “I loved my role as a VBS helper because I was always interacting with the young children and teenagers of Sri Lanka,” she said. “And boy do they love facepaint!”

Although there was a language barrier, Elena has fond memories of fumbling her words as the children taught her how to count to five in Sinhala and Tamil and learning handshakes that made their rounds throughout the school and orphanage. She loved when the children gave her hugs and were having fun with their peers, brothers, and sisters, and seeing them smile and have a good time filled her soul. 

“This Sri Lanka Mission Trip was truly life-changing for me,” said Elena. “Not only did I witness the active healing and care of those receiving medical assistance, but I also experienced the blessings of the community members overflowing with their gratitude towards the mission trip team and me.” 

How was it working with your team? 

While on the medical mission trip in Sri Lanka, I was one of about 12 members who assisted with Vacation Bible School (VBS) for Lakapahana Elementary. Along with this, the VBS team, comprising Sahmyook University students as coordinators and other individuals from around the world, also visited two different orphanages to sing songs, play sports, and share gifts with the children there. I always found myself surrounded by children aged 5-18, and although there was a bit of a language barrier, we were able to have the most fun when playing games like blob tag, dog and bone, and duck, duck, goose. 

How were you challenged during the mission trip? 

One major challenge that I faced during this mission trip was the language barrier. In Sri Lanka, the two main languages are Sinhala and Tamil. While many of the teachers, pastors, and educators spoke English, a lot of the children were either starting to learn basic English or didn’t know how to speak English at all. Although the language barrier was challenging, that did not stop us from having fun with the kids through games, handshakes, and sharing meals. 

In fact, it was quite fun to learn certain words in Sinhala and Tamil that were useful for everyday conversation. My favorite phrase in Sinhala is “ඔබ ලස්සනයි / oba lassanayi,” which means “you are beautiful.” I would often walk around schools and orphanages, randomly saying this phrase to the young girls, and their faces would always light up with surprise that I had learned to speak a phrase in their native language.  

How did this mission trip benefit you? How did you grow from this experience?

This mission trip was full of blessings, love, and service. I was able to see the world from a different perspective and receive the smiles, hugs, and pure happiness that the children and kids of all the orphanages and schools poured out upon me. It was amazing to know and hear that our team was making an impact on the community and the lives of those who truly needed the medical service in Sri Lanka, and to hear about God and his love. 

I was able to grow from this experience and recognize that where I live in the United States, I am very blessed and grateful to have an abundance of toys and small possessions, but it wasn’t until I gave up some of these mementoes to the children at the orphanage and Lakapahana college that I realized small acts of kindness and love go a long way. Not only am I able to stay in contact with the kids at Lakapahana college, but I also continue to write letters and send them care packages of hair clips, scrunchies, and handwritten notes. Thank you God for providing ways for this Sri Lanka Mission Trip to be made possible in my life. 

Was there a moment during the trip that impacted you the most? 

One of the most memorable experiences of this 2025 Sri Lanka Mission Trip was hanging out with the Lakapahana College students and Lakpahana Orphanage children. A large part of the VBS program I was in allowed me to interact with the students and kids by singing, playing field games, preaching, and doing arts and crafts. I was able to write handwritten letters to the students at Lakpahana College and give it to them every day at the medical work site. Even though I was stationed elsewhere every day for the VBS program, God provided me a way to see my friends to give them daily hugs, share a conversation, and give them small gifts. It was super impactful on the day that we left the medical site at Lakpahana College when the students started to cry when I left. I can recall one girl after another sniffling and tearing up as I walked towards the bus to head back to the main town we were staying in. Each of them touched my feet as a blessing and gave me the biggest hugs I have ever received. It was so touching how my short time with them over the course of a week brought each of them, including me, to tears and sadness upon my departure.  

Tell us about the people you met. Was there anything about the culture that surprised you? 

The first day I arrived at the Lakapahana College work site to set up for the medical clinic, I met many school girls and boys who were super friendly, welcoming, and inviting. My first interaction with the kids there was adventuring behind the church to a “jambola” tree, where we shared the delicious citrus fruits together. All of the children were super nice and always invited me to play with them. 

I also noticed that many people walking in the streets smiled or waved at me as I passed by. I remember one day, when the VBS team was walking through the streets of Kandy, a few gentlemen passing by us said “Welcome to Sri Lanka” to each one of us. The flavors of Sri Lankan cuisine is full of flavorful spices that add variety and newness to my palette. Something interesting about Sri Lankan culture that stood out to me, was the fact that all of the students across the entire country wore the same white school attire for school. The girls would wear a white dress polo, knee-length skirts, and braids with bows at the end, and school ties. The boys would wear a white polo, dress pants, and a school tie as well. Every school differentiated themselves by changing the color of the school ties and hair bows to represent their school colors. 

Outside of working, what fun activities did you do?

After a long day of running our VBS program, visiting orphanages, or conducting home-visit medical check-ups, I loved returning to Kandy, Sri Lanka, and walking around Kandy Lake during the golden hour! We would spot turtles, large birds, and many monitor lizards, which were about 4 ft in length, swimming and flying around the lake. One of my favorite evening pastimes was writing letters to the kids I met at Lakpahana. The next day, when I saw them, we would exchange our letters and gifts like hairpins, scrunchies, and cherished pictures/momentos. 

I also loved walking around the small towns of Kandy to buy fruit, eat food, or ride the tuk-tuks to our next destinations. One memorable, fun activity was playing the drive-by game of “spot the monkeys” in the trees. Every day while on the bus to our next destination, I would peer out the window to see which fences, roadsides, and trees were filled with monkeys. I can recall one morning, while waiting for the bus, a family of monkeys was climbing the telephone wires above the street. It was a blast to take pictures and watch the monkeys swing from branch to branch, and telephone line to telephone line. 

What was your favorite part of Sri Lanka? 

My favorite part was experiencing a culture that was foreign to me. I experienced a new flavor profile with sweet, spicy, and salty food options. One of the educational trips that my professors took us on was a safari in Yala National Park. It was here that I saw my first elephant in the wild! That was one of my bucket-list dreams that came true, and it was the best experience in a new country. 

I also loved learning the language and incorporating little words into my everyday vocabulary. “Stūtiyi” means “Thank you” in Sinhala, and “oba lassanayi” means “you are beautiful.” I loved viewing the wildlife and taking in the true tropical beauty of the Sri Lankan mountain sides, valleys, and lakes. 

What do you want to remember about this experience moving forward with your education and career? 

I want to remember that service, wherever it may be served around the world, goes a long way in the lives of those around you! It was wonderful to see the smiles on everyone’s faces who received the medical services at the health clinic. Some of the recipients of the services traveled more than 300km to receive the care, and it was so touching to see how the power of prayer, medicine, and God can bring us together to heal those who need it. Looking back on the experiences I remember, I want to take away that being kind, showing a smile, and caring for those around you can make a lasting impact on the lives of those God brings into your life. I am evermore grateful for all of the friendly children, students, and adults I met during this Mission Trip, because I will never forget how their presence and kindness towards me changed my life.