We recently had four awesome Spring Break teams that cumulatively carried over 100 students on mission to the Amazon. I was personally on two of them and I confess I was not really looking forward to either of them.
I now know that I was wrong. Those students impressed me in countless ways, but I’ll just mention a few...
FLEXIBILITY
A sideways driven rain storm hit on our first morning of ministry. Rather than sheltering under a pavilion, like me, the students began to slide in the mud with the village kids. It was the most fun I’ve had during an Amazon monsoon. What would have been idle time became an opportunity to connect with the village. The villagers loved it, and so did I!
BOLDNESS
One of my favorite ministries is door to door evangelism. I was amazed as I watched several teams of students boldly engage, share their testimonies, and proclaim the gospel. They were as strong as most adult teams and several villagers gave their lives to Christ.
In men’s ministry, one of the students shared with a less than welcoming group of men about the confidence he had found in Christ. His body language matched his words and it was a wonderful thing to watch. I know some men were impacted by this young man. I was.
INITIATIVE
One of my biggest concerns for every trip is idle team members, so I loved when I saw students taking the initiative. A small group of middle school village kids were just hanging around. They were just too cool for VBS. Two of our students decided to engage them. They got a craft from the boat, gathered the teens, shared their testimony and shared the gospel. I couldn't have been prouder of a team than I was at that moment.
Now that I know the great value of student trips, I want to get more schools and student ministries on the river. Even more amazing, I would love the opportunity to serve alongside them.
“This is the generation of those who seek him…” (Psalm 24:6a)
To the students, parents, and leaders from Brook Hill School (Tyler, TX), Southwest Christian School (Ft Worth) and New Beginnings Student Ministry (Longview, TX). You have some awesome students and they give me hope for the next generation.