"I like helping people. Even in Bermuda my parents say, 'You can't help everyone. You can't save the whole world,' but I like to try," declared Courtney Smith, recently returned from two weeks in Lesotho.

The young Bermuda Institute student joined 11 other students, aged 15 to 17, and five adult sponsors from the US on a mission to the Maluti Hospital Campus, an hour's drive from the South African border, where they worked on the construction of an elementary school for the children who live on the campus.

Courtney, the only Bermudian among the group, flew via Washington DC and Senegal to Johannesburg, an 18-hour trip.

After an overnight stay, she and the other members of the group headed out to the hospital compound, a half-day's journey away, though thankfully by air-conditioned bus.

The group, all Seventh Day Adventists, worked on tasks according to their ability, some finishing the red bricks used for the school's outer walls, others mixing concrete and laying block for the interior walls, and still others painting the steel reinforcing beams.

At the end of the project, which took several weeks and involved several different work parties, the original school, which had been three classrooms and a trailer, was replaced with a brand new school complete with computer lab and gymnasium.

Courtney helped with the painting of the beams and the finishing of the bricks, which needed to be trimmed and dusted so that they would interlock tightly as they were laid without mortar.

Her day began at 7 a.m. – "This was a shock for me," she confessed – and breakfast was followed by 15-minute devotional. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. she worked, had an hour for lunch, and continued working until 5 p.m.

Though the teens and adult companions worked hard during the day, their evenings were free to play games and visit.

There were opportunities to meeting some of the local student nurses at the refectory for the evening meal at 6 p.m.

The visitors also had the opportunity to meet some of the young scholars when they visited a classroom and passed out school supplies.

"It was amazing how excited they got over 10 crayons and two pencils," Courtney declared.

The highlight of the trip for Courtney was bonding with the other members of the group, people from all over the US and "going through the experience together.

"We got to tour the hospital. It was amazing. It was considered one of the prime hospital facilities [in the country] but compared to our hospital, you wouldn't think it was one of the best. The Director said not to worry about the peeling paint and torn upholstery, because when he had to choose between paying for the upkeep and getting necessary medical supplies, the supplies came first."

Another day the young people were invited to participate in "a Sabbath Day hike," but the trek up the mountain "turned into something you see in 'Extreme Sports'!"

Not having a shower for the first two days and having to bring her own toilet paper wherever she went took some getting used to, as did carrying water for drinking and brushing her teeth.

The food, however, was really good, fairly familiar, with lots of white rice, gravy, hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.

Courtney was very grateful to the friends, family and school community who helped her raise the funds necessary for her to participate in the mission. Rosemary Tyrell and her friends were especially helpful.

Having experienced the joy of giving in Lesotho, Courtney is looking forward to participating in other overseas adventures in the near future and doing her bit to make the world a better place.