Posted: 8/25/05
| Matt Hubbard of Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth, a student at Southwestern Seminary, reads a pop-up book about the story of Noah and the flood to schoolchildren in the mountain village of Chibuleo, Ecuador. Hubbard went as a crew leader on the first International World Changers Family Project. (Photo by Kristen Nicole Sayres/IMB) |
Families minister together during Ecuador trip
By Jesse Lyautey
International Mission Board
AMBATO, Ecuador (BP)—Tommy Hutchison tells people he normally goes on mission trips to get away from his family.
The 17-year-old admits he didn’t think he would ever go on an international mission trip with his family. But that’s exactly what happened recently, thanks to the International World Changers program.
Hutchison and his family—mom, Amy; dad, Thomas; and two younger siblings, Joel and Danielle—participated in the first International World Changers family project this summer.
The Hutchisons, who attend Far Hills Community Church in Dayton, Ohio, were one of 12 families from five states who took part in the project.
During the trip, the families shared the gospel 8,280 times, and 284 people prayed to accept Christ as their Savior.
Seminary students served as crew leaders for the groups. This allowed parents to have more time to spend with their teenagers, ministering with them on the trip.
After presenting a drama to the Quichua locals, Hutchison led someone to faith in Christ—his first time to do so.
Hutchison’s father watched as the teenager shared his faith with several Quichua locals after they surrounded him to learn more about the drama and tracts they were handed.
“Tommy got to be with people who accepted Christ,” his father said. “It is a great feeling knowing God is using your family to grow his kingdom.”
Talking with his family later in the week, Hutchison said he was humbled by the experience and realized the value of working together as a family.
“We had fun ministering as a family,” Hutchison said. “I learned ministry can be more than fun. It can be incredible.”
For the past 10 years, International World Changers has offered student mission trips for youth and youth groups around the globe. After years of requests for family-oriented mission trips, the group worked with Southern Baptist missionaries to develop a trip especially for families.
International World Changers Director Kelly Davis said Ecuador is a good place for families to minister to other families by showing an example of how evangelical Christians should treat each other. Ecuador is a safe and inexpensive environment for families to minister together, he added.
Amy Hutchison watched her family grow throughout the week, finding new strengths in themselves and each other.
“I am so proud of these guys this week,” she said. “Tommy has been a leader. Joel is walking up to strangers to talk about God. Danielle has been flexible. They have all walked into a totally new environment and are enjoying doing things together.”
Families spent their days visiting schools, food markets, community centers and city plazas. They taught English, distributed tracts, made bracelets they used to share the Christian plan of salvation and prayed with the indigenous Quichua people.
Thomas Hutchison encourages families to replace their typical vacation with a mission trip.
“Make it a priority,” he said. “Trips like this help you focus on what is important in life.”
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