Mack Boyd is a veterinarian from Texas who has been participating in short-term mission trips with CVM for 23 years. He is an experienced trip leader who enjoys leading student groups.

Throughout my many years serving on and leading short-term missions, one recent trip to the Dominican Republic stands out.

Our group of 15 students and 2 vets were working in a small village not far from the capital city. It was the end of a long, hot day walking from door to door, spreading the gospel and praying at every stop, all while treating animals and doing a fair amount of pet vaccinations along the way. By the end of the day, everybody was tired, hungry, and ready to be done.

Then, our interpreter got a call: there was a dog in another village that had been hit by a car, could we come and see it? Knowing our limited resources, I was hesitant to go. The students, though, were very eager to help, off we went to see what could be done.

Forty minutes later we arrived to find an elderly couple sitting under a large tree, a big dog resting on the ground beside them. I approached to confirm we were in the right place and learned the dog next to them had indeed been hit by a car… about a month earlier. Everyone deflated slightly. I did an examination and found the dog had a healing fracture; there wasn't much we could do other than leave them with some medication. We continued talking as we gathered in the shade. The couple said they were believers, so I went on to ask if there was anything, besides their dog, that we could pray for them about?

The look on their faces changed. They very emotionally replied, "Yes. Less than a month ago, our daughter was murdered."

Suddenly, it was clear why we were there. We gathered around them, laying hands on their shoulders and lifting them up in prayer. Several of us prayed through tears for the healing comfort that only our Savior can bring. Finally, we said our goodbyes and went on our way, all of us quieter on the drive home. That night our discussion was rich. The experience we’d had was beyond what any of us had expected. We felt like God had called us just for that couple.

In the end, short-term trips are never just one thing: they can be fun and tiring, hard work. I've seen teams grow as a group and as individuals. I've seen young people reaching out to others in ways they didn't know they could. I've seen lives change and experienced transformational moments, like our encounter under that big shade tree. We go, for all these reasons and more. What a blessing.