Houston youth experience international missions-80904

Posted: 8/06/04

Houston youth experience international missions at home

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

HOUSTON–Students from Tallowood Baptist Church found an international mission experience this summer–inside their hometown's beltway.

More than 100 young people split into eight groups and crossed Houston, ministering alongside congregations. Some teams helped lead Vacation Bible Schools; others painted church walls; others yet helped congregations make initial contacts in communities.

Middle school and high school students ministered to Chinese, Russian, Nigerian, Native American and Filipino groups in Houston during the trip, facilitated by Cathy Dundas of the Baptist General Convention of Texas intercultural initiatives office.

Ashley Smith, 17, of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston holds Priscilla during Vacation Bible School held in a Houston apartment complex. Children played games, did crafts and studied the Bible. More than 100 Tallowood young people split into eight groups and crossed Houston, ministering alongside multi-ethnic congregations in a variety of community ministry projects, evangelistic outreach efforts and missions endeavors. (John Hall Photo)

Serving with the different churches exposed the group to cultures some of them would encounter only on foreign mission trips, said Jerome Smith, the church's youth minister.

“The reality is the world is here,” he said. “This week we are sending groups all over the world, but inside the loop.

“It's pretty amazing to drive down the street and experience a whole new world.”

While the trip had an international flair, students were encouraged by the opportunity to impact their community with their faith.

“We chose to stay in Houston this year to spread Christ's love in the city where we live,” Ashley Smith, 17, said.

Group members working with the Russian Messianic Congregation in Houston said they saw God move in a “powerful” way. They planned to work in an apartment complex all week, using a clubhouse as the base for Bible studies, games and a swimming party, but they were told at the last minute they could use the clubhouse for only three evenings and could not advertise their activities in the complex.

The day before the students were to begin ministering, they drove around the neighborhood seven times praying and praising God–following the Israelites' example of marching around Jericho in the book of Joshua.

The group felt God leading the team to a park and began advertising that games would be held for children the next day. But when the group set up, no one was there.

Students and leaders held hands in a circle, and each prayed children would come. As the prayer ended, the volunteers looked up to see children coming in groups of fours and fives.

“It was incredible,” Margaret Booth, 17, said. “It was awesome. It was very encouraging because it's like even though so many doors closed, so many others were opened.”

Susan Pratt, who led one of the groups that taught Vacation Bible School at the Northwest Chinese Baptist Church in Sugar Land, said the Tallowood students expanded churches' outreach but also served as encouragers.

Uri Zahora, who leads the Russian Messianic Congregation, agreed the students were giving him a “major boost” spiritually.

Watching the young people build relationships with Jewish children in an effort to share the gospel was uplifting to him.

“The Lord is showing himself strong,” he said.

Jacob Robison, 18, said he hopes the students' efforts will help cultivate the seed of faith in the hearts of the children they served.

“We're trying to show these kids God's love,” he said.

To set up a similar mission experience, contact Dundas at (713) 932-9760 or the intercultural initiatives office at (214) 828-5372.