Missions Moments 2022

Orange Walk, Belize
Aubree Campbell

This past spring break was my third spring break to spend in Belize. The first time that I went, I knew that the Lord would move in so many ways. However, I never expected that it would be a place to capture my heart. The people have nothing but love to give, and sometimes that is all they have. It is an impoverished area, but the people there are happier than the richest person you know.

Up until this year, I had gone to Belize as a member of the youth group, but this year I went as a youth intern and was asked to be in the "adult" picture. I knew that going to Belize this year was going to be different because I was going as a leader and not a teenager. I was familiar with the place and the people, but not the role that I was going to have this go around. When I was a member of the youth group, I loved getting closer to other people in the group that I did not talk to regularly. It was a trip that always allowed us to grow closer to each other, and this year was no different. I was able to lead the youth group in some areas but was also able to see them lead, which was even better.

Being on the other side of things, I was able to step back and watch so many natural-born leaders that we have in the youth group. Even the teenagers that are more reserved were able to show God's love to those kids and their parents through their actions. We really try to emphasize that being a leader is not always being the person on stage talking, but you can also be a leader through your words and actions. Watching every single teenager on that trip take the lead, and love on others was so rewarding.

Also, each year that we have gone we have worked on different projects around the church campus. We come back, and there are bathrooms, extensions of the church, gardens, and so much more and all that is thanks to the youth in our church, the generosity of our church members, and the faithfulness of our Lord. This was probably my favorite year yet, because I was able to watch teenagers take what we preach to them every week at church and apply it to their lives. Getting closer to each other, and to the adults on the trip, was an amazing experience. Everyone has a story, and if we would take the time to listen to each other's stories, then we would learn a lot. It never fails that I leave Belize having learned more about the Lord and His steadfast love. The Lord is so faithful, loving, and kind, and there is evidence of that everywhere you look in Orange Walk, Belize.

Starkville, MS
Kamryn Clymer

When we were on the college ski trip back in January, Nathan asked me to start brainstorming ways we could do a better job of engaging with international students right here in Starkville. He mentioned that it would be very difficult for us to travel overseas for one of our typical spring break mission trips, but with some planning and creativity, we could still serve and share the Gospel with people who have never heard.

We recruited some other college students, had a few brainstorming sessions over coffee and sausage biscuits at Starkville Cafe, and "Starkville Spring Break" was born. We planned a game night, cookout, day trip to Birmingham, and more fun activities intending to invite anyone, specifically international students, who would be looking for something to do in Starkville over spring break. Several college students from FBC and other local churches committed to stay in town for these events and build relationships with international students.

Psalm 127:1 says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." Because it was easy to get overwhelmed with planning and "what ifs" of the week, we often centered back and asked God that our labor would not be in vain. We committed to praying on campus twice a week for about a month leading up to spring break, and we begged God to move in the heart of every lost student. We asked that our planning and execution of Starkville Spring Break would bring glory to Him and would not be in vain. We prayed specifically that God would open the eyes of international students who are blinded by false religion.

God answered our prayers more beautifully than we could have ever imagined. Memories were made, a lot of fun was had, and the Gospel was shared many times. Praise God! He brought students from around 12 different countries to the events. Hindu students heard the true Gospel and now have close friendships with several Christians. Muslim students heard that Jesus is God and died in their place so that, by believing in Him, they can be certain that they will enter paradise. And the coolest part of spending spring break in Starkville is that these relationships continue today! In the weeks following spring break, we had an international tea party at the Taylor's home, an Easter egg hunt at the Stoker's home, and countless meals with our new international friends.

Isaiah 55:11 says, "so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." I am confident that God's word that was shared during Starkville Spring Break is still accomplishing His perfect purpose. I am confident that He is currently drawing international students to Himself, and I am immensely grateful to be a part of it! Will you commit to pray that lost students would hear, understand, and respond to the Gospel? Will you pray for opportunities to befriend international students? Will you welcome them into your home? If God can use me to display His love to international students, I am certain that He can use you too!

Marks, MS
David Brown

I was super nervous going into Marks. We had just heard this story about this girl who died, and I wondered what kind of area we were walking into. After we got there, however, my entire thought process switched. I fell in love with the community and was excited to share the gospel with the students!

Day one started, and I was ready. I heard about this boy named Jayce, who Kendal told me had heard the gospel before but wasn't sure what he believed. So I planned to make an extra effort to make sure he understood the gospel by the end of my time there. At the end of the first day, I shared the gospel with Jayce, and I had him repeat it back to me to see how much he'd retained. And he remembered most of it! Day two started, and I was hyped! I had just shared the gospel with Jayce, and on the morning of day two, I shared it with him again. This time he could tell me what the gospel was and how to become a follower of Christ. I got switched to the older group in the middle of day two. I was a little upset at first, but I understood that there was a need for me with them. Around lunch on day three, Jayce and one of the other leaders walked up to me, and Jayce said, "I just accepted Christ." In that moment, I had so much excitement and joy!

Days four and five were just as sweet, and I gave Jayce my number and my Bible at the end of the trip. I wanted him to have an easy version to start reading because he had the King James Version at home. When I gave him my number, I told him, "I want you to read your Bible and text me what you read every day." Since that day, Jayce has texted me every day and told me what he has learned. We are going through Genesis together, and we both read the same chapter each day and talk about what he learned through it. Overall, this trip was such a blessing and an awesome time to pour into other students who needed it. God really showed out!

Houston, TX
Bethany Crane

I recently had the opportunity to serve in Houston, Texas, with Global Gates alongside several other college students from FBC. On the agenda for the first day was door-knocking in an apartment complex called Boca Springs. Our goal was to pray for families and strike up gospel conversions with those we encountered. With those instructions, my prayer partner, Logann, and I started walking towards our assigned set of apartments. As we reached the first door, I could feel my heart beat a little faster. I was so afraid of saying the wrong thing or looking foolish, but I swallowed my pride and knocked.

After a long pause, the lock on the door turned and a girl wearing a hijab answered the door. Unable to communicate in English, she ran off to get her brother. A few moments later her brother appeared and introduced himself as Omid. Omid immediately welcomed us into their home and offered to get us drinks and snacks.

We sat down in the living room alongside his eight other family members and struck up a conversation. Omid explained that he and his family arrive in the United States roughly 9 months ago from Afghanistan. When fighting broke out in his homeland last August, Omid and his family moved about the country seeking refuge with extended family. Omid's father had worked at the US Embassy for several years so they ran in fear of what the Taliban would do. Eventually, his entire family was able to evacuate the country, and they were taken to a refugee camp in New Mexico. From New Mexico, Omid and family were brought to Houston to start their new life. He spoke nostalgically of his life in Afghanistan, but he also seemed hopeful and expectant of his new life in America. As Omid continued to share his story with us, I began to see how similar we were despite the difference in culture. It was gut-wrenching thinking about how at 26 (only a few years older than me), he was having to flee his home and provide for his family. In the midst of all that heartache, he still spoke with a smile on his face and hope in his eyes. He kept saying "I'm so glad you all are here. I'm so glad you came by tonight." He even said had God had blessed them and protected them during the evacuation from Afghanistan.

We spent nearly two hours with him and his family, and I am sure we could have stayed much longer had time allowed. Before we left, I asked if I could pray over Omid and his family. He agreed and we all bowed our heads as I thanked God for his protection and praised His sovereignty overall in these circumstances. As we left, I was honestly sad knowing I wouldn't be able to return. Their kindness and hospitality despite their circumstances was remarkable and left a lasting impact on me. It's crazy to think how in the span of a just few hours, my feelings towards door-knocking had completely changed. All the fear had dissipated, and I was ready to knock on every door in that apartment complex.

As I have now resettled into normal life, a lot of that in-the-moment evangelistic zeal has faded, but the conviction to pray for my neighbors has only grown. I look around the town of Starkville and everywhere I see apartment complexes that remind me of Boca Springs. The other day I was thinking, 'It's so easy to knock on a door. Why can't we implement this in Starkville?' That's when I realized it was less of a question of “why can’t we” and more of a question of “when will we?”