By Chris Moffitt

Most people avoid doing charitable work because they are simply afraid. They are afraid to step out of their comfort zone, get involved, and associate with strangers. Joshua (Junior) and Marisa (Sophomore) Putrasahan are not these type of people. On a regular basis, these siblings go with their family to serve not only people out of their comfort zone, but people outside of their country!

Marisa and Joshua frequently travel to Rocky Point, Mexico to serve the community members in need. They have performed a large variety of different service projects. “This past Presidents Day weekend,” says Marisa, “Josh and I went with a group from our church to Puerto Penasco to build a house for a family of three, a mom and her two daughters.” Marisa and Joshua helped build a house for this needy family. “It definitely was hard work,” she says, “but worth it to see how thankful Raquel was and how happy her daughters were as well.”

Joshua describes their more regular service project in Mexico: “Twice a year, we go to the orphanage [in Rocky Point] to do a dental clinic for the kids. My dad and two other dentists will do checkups and cleanings for the kids. If there is a need, they will also do basic procedures like filling cavities or pulling teeth.”

While their dad performs dentistry work free of charge for the children, Joshua and Marisa help by playing games with the children or by doing construction work on the orphanage. I had the privilege of visiting the Putrasahans on their most recent service trip to the orphanage. I saw firsthand their makeshift dentist office and generous service. Truly, they put all differences aside as they played jubilantly with children whom they could hardly communicate with and worked happily on painting a section of the orphanage.

“I am blessed to have everything that I have and I want to help others who are less fortunate than I,” says Joshua. For Marisa, visiting the orphanage is her “favorite thing about visiting Rocky Point.”

May we all look to the Putrasahans’ example of selfless service. There are people all over the world, in Rocky Point and just a few blocks away, who need our help.