Haley Mardis

Sheila Fielding

WRTC 103

9/17/17

Religious Beauty

The most important thing about my experience was realizing what it was to be a true

Christian in my community and serving people I did not know well but knew I would make a life

changing difference in their everyday lives. I want to share this so that my readers know how

much my life changed and shaped after an experience like this. I want them to know what being

thankful, loving and helpful can do and how others may not know it at the moment but they

change your like just as tremendously as youre changing theirs. I was raised in a Christian family

with a Baptist denomination household and my extended family was all very much involved as

well.

A Christian is categorized as being a person who has received baptism or is a

believer in Jesus Christ and his teachings, also relating to belief in The Bible. Christianity

is considered a Monotheistic religion, and believes in the saying Justification by faith.

(Explore Encyclopedia Britannica). Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox were the first

religions of Christianity (Explore Encyclopedia Britannica). Some things that shaped and

helped me identify myself as a Baptist Christian are forgiveness of sins due to Crucifixion

of the Son of God, the 10 Commandments and that God created the world. A main focus

of my denomination of Christianity is transactions with the divine do not occur in the

realm of timeless ideas but among ordinary humans through the ages, most focus faith
in Jesus Christ as someone who is also present reality. (Explore Encyclopedia

Britannica). A ritual I found that my family I held close was our praying ritual which truly

helped me realize what I wanted to believe. The simple church attendance with my

family also molded what my beliefs and practices would be. My personal Baptism was

the defining factor of my faith. It was the moment I truly accepted my figure Jesus Christ

and knew that he would forgive me and love me for who I was.

My first experience was the most life-changing journey I have ever been a part of.

I went on a mission trip to Nicaragua with my close-knit church group. Nicaragua is not

the poorest country in Latin America but is categorized as the second poorest country

(Home, Rural Poverty Portal). Upon arriving I knew what my duty was while I was there:

to spread Gods word and do his work and serve. I never knew how much the people

there would change me or shape my beliefs and personality as drastically as they did.

We worked through the church there on the feeding centers property and I saw how

much the people needed me there, and them needing me shaped who was through the

weeks I was present. I remember one specific interaction with a small girl there and it

was I could never forget; the little girl had only known me for about 3 days when she

told me I was her best friend. This was the moment where I realized these people, no

matter how harsh or difficult their life was they showed you the most unconditional

love. I then realized what things I wanted to change about myself coming home and I

wanted to be kind always, love unconditionally, live faithfully and by a code of morals. I

wouldnt say this was my moment of realizing I wanted to be Christian but the moment I

realized what being a true Christian was.

 My encounters with people around the world have been different varying from

support from my community around the world to people questioning my faith for

different reasons. One specific time I remember was being on a family vacation in the

Caribbean. I have a cross necklace that I cherish and wear consistently being that my

grandmother gave it to me as a gift for my baptism. I was asked why I was wearing

provocative clothing and if my faith meant anything to me because clearly it did not

due to the way I dressed. I paused for a moment in disbelief that a woman would

question me because I was wearing a swimsuit in a tropical area and realized she had

asked me because I was sporting my cross necklace. I did not reply to the woman

because I knew how to be the bigger person in the situation, but it also upset me a great

deal. My faith is not materialistic and it is not a faith that restricts you from certain

dress. I was stereotyped and hurt by what someone in my own community had said to

me but it then dawned on me that everyone expresses their faith in different ways and

they have a right to do so. This experience helped me realize how I wanted to express

my faith throughout the world and how I wanted to represent it. I do not judge by

appearance any longer nor do I judge different morals and expressions of faith.

The significance of my group membership is so important to me, it helps me

when I am at my lowest and helps me rejoice when I am at my highest. I cannot even

begin to describe all that being part of this community has done for me, it has shaped

my values and realize my worth as well as others. My demeanor has become softer and

kinder and I love when I am recognized for all I am. The world is a better place when
people show compassion and we see everyone as equals. The world is most powerful

when we treat others how we would want to be treated.

 A selfie with my best friend who shares my religion
with me. (Taken 9/16/17)

Selfie from Nicaragua with my small group

friend (Taken 6/24/16)
A personal selfie of me returning from
Nicaragua.