Una encomienda es un encargo.
In English "encomienda" means assigment or order. It's something that youentrust someone to do.
In a historical way, the encomienda was a socioeconomic institution through which a group of individuals had to pay back another in work, kind or otherwise, to enjoy a good or a benefit that they had received. The institution of the clientele was established in Roman Europe from the Low Empire until the beginning of the Modern Age. Thus, there was a relationship of dependence by which the stronger gave protection to the weaker in exchange for committing to keep loyalty and deliver certain services.