A group of Triumph team members traveled to a remote village in El Salvador for the third year in a row with the mission of digging wells to supply the gift of clean water to a community in desperate need. While this trip was meant to make a significant impact on the village of Santa Rosa and its residents, the Triumph team quickly realized that through their service they were equally impacted. The Triumph team shared their thoughts on this life-changing trip and the powerful impact that serving the less fortunate had on their lives.
Jason
What was truly moving, overwhelming, and amazing to see was what happened when like-minded people from different cities, countries, backgrounds, and corporate structures came together for the same purpose – to help their neighbors in need. What happened? The power of one.
This power of one bore the fruit of love – love that forged many paths into one, love that ignored all social and economic barriers. This love overcame cultural and language differences. Love truly bears all things. One mission. One spirit. One love.
Terri
I honestly expected the visit to be somewhat sad and depressing and was pleasantly surprised that it was not. Despite their poverty and terrible living conditions, including their homes and contaminated drinking water sources, the villagers were dressed in decent clothing and shoes and appeared to be genuinely happy.
They loved playing the games and seemed very eager to learn. Even the adults joined in. Their faith and love for God is strong and they all seemed to work well together for the benefit of the community.
Carrie
I wanted to make the most of my time in El Salvador. I wanted to help on the drilling team, and also be a part of the hygiene team. I wanted to get to know my co-workers. I wanted to show that you can totally have the most fun, lying on the ground, pretending to be a boy named Jose who just drank some clean water. (Side note: I now know the proper way to wash hands!)
I wanted to serve others; those in El Salvador and those sitting next to me in the van. A trip like this changes you. It changes your perspective on life, and makes you extremely thankful for the things you have… big and small.
Deana
People from previous trips had expressed/explained to me what the conditions were. The reality was SO much more. There is no way to fully understand until you are privy to see it firsthand. What I will take with me is that no matter how stressful, busy, exhausted I feel, nothing can compare to the reality of how they live and what little they have. Just the joy and service THEY provided US just to be able to get CLEAN WATER is so humbling. Makes me realize what all we take for granted!!
Kevin
It is human nature (I believe) to want to help others and be able to give. I am grateful for the opportunity to interact with and see the impact that my work with the people of Santa Rosa will have in their community. So often it seems easy to just give money or some other donation, but what really matters is actually getting your hands dirty and letting others know that someone really does care.
Sometimes a hug and a smile go much further than a dollar ever will.
Tami
I’m so thankful for a God that always exceeds our expectations. My life was impacted by the love and grace of the people of El Salvador and the AMAZING group of people that the Lord gave me for this journey.
The imprint left on my heart has forever changed me and for that I am so GRATEFUL!
Ruth
I didn’t expect to feel the strength from the women. You could feel it everywhere. In their walk, the way they spoke, the smiles on their faces. I hope we gave them strength as well. I also learned that I need to grow more personally.
My desire to control everything around me kicked in, big time. I am proud to say that I held it back and didn’t rush in to fix it as I saw fit. Instead, I chose to embrace the situation and the people around me.
Todd
You would think that hard work in less than desirable conditions would be a recipe for disappointment and discouragement. This trip was anything but! It was exciting and invigorating to be part of this year’s Triumph El Salvador team. The team had one goal; to improve life in Santa Rosa, El Salvador.
We achieved our goal through acceptance, fellowship, fun, love and clean water.
Lisa
What an incredible week! Before leaving on this trip, our CEO charged us with serving each other and the people of Communidad Santa Rosa. I witnessed that first hand. Whether it was making beaded lizard crafts, playing soccer, cleaning up after meals, drilling on the well, coloring, making papusas, singing, sorting beads, playing card games, teaching hygiene, or acting out Bible lessons, we served one another well.
I am grateful for the incredible team with which I was able to serve alongside.
Clarie
This experience was completely different than what I had imagined. The connection we built with the village was is inexplicable. Just being there, seeing their needs, and sharing the experience of clean water is a memory I will never forget. The innocence in their eyes and how happy they were, with so little, is refreshing. The smells, the weather, the food, the people, are just reminders of how much we forget every day and how much more we can do. We might have left them clean water, but they taught us the real meaning of life.
Estevan
The moment we stepped off the van into the community I was overwhelmed with the sheer volume of welcoming and gratitude we received from the people of Santa Rosa. I couldn’t help but smile as one of the ladies from the community tossed confetti on us with the warmest smile and genuine happiness on her face. It’s definitely not every day that you experience an outpouring of kindness and welcoming from people you have never met. The fact that these people had spent their valuable time and scarce resources to make us feel welcome left me humbled. I am thankful for Triumph for giving its employees the opportunity to be a part of this mission and I hope we can continue to help create positive long-term effects through LWI.
