During Missouri State University’s spring break from March 7-10, ag business junior Blake Garwood had an unforgettable experience.

He went on a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico. It was Garwood’s first time travelling out of the country and going on a trip like this.

“It was eye opening, and I will cherish it for the rest of my life,” said Garwood, who’s from Neosho, Missouri.

Making a difference

Garwood’s father had previously gone on a similar trip. When this opportunity came around again, he invited Garwood to join him. While in Tijuana, Garwood and his family spent two days building and furnishing a house for a family in need.

According to Garwood, he initially was nervous to embark on this journey, but he is grateful that he did.

“I would say that being in another country is the best thing a young person can do,” Garwood said. “Here in the U.S., it’s hard for us to fathom the overwhelming difference between our country and other less fortunate countries.”

“We take for granted the things we have and forget to take a step back and be grateful.”

Exploring cultural competence and community engagement

Garwood’s experience fulfills the cultural competence and community engagement pillars of Missouri State’s public affairs mission.

Cultural competence is to have cultural self-awareness, as well as the knowledge and respect to engage with those of other cultures. Community engagement is to recognize needs in the community and contribute toward meeting those needs.

In terms of cultural competence, Garwood believes his biggest takeaway was the knowledge he gained about the Mexican culture. It was impactful to him to see the difference in the way people in Tijuana were raised and lived. Since returning from the trip, he has become interested in researching more about the culture.

Regarding community engagement, Garwood said he “saw firsthand the amazing things that can happen when a group of people come together for a common goal.”

After this experience, he is inspired to engage more with his own community. In fact, he has even arranged a day for him and some peers to volunteer at a local ministry that aims to end hunger in his hometown.

Besides finding a job in the agriculture field once he graduates, Garwood’s time in Tijuana has also led him to consider becoming a missionary, where he can teach and learn from different communities and cultures all over the world.