“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). The words of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20, are challenging, yet daunting. A major responsibility of a Christian is the fulfillment of the Great Commission. The thought of leaving your comfort zone and possibly facing persecution, deters many Christians from obeying this command. However, they forget the promise Jesus makes in verse 20, which states that He is with us always even to the end. Therefore, “…If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). So, with that in mind, my desire to serve God on the mission field has greatly increased and has been demonstrated through my previous involvement in mission trips.
Over the past two years, I have accompanied the Short-term mission team of Colonial Baptist Church to St. Kitts. During each trip, I have grown not only spiritually but also personally, which in turn has increased my passion for missions. First, it has allowed me to fulfill my duty as a Christian by sharing the gospel. For example, I worked with the 6-9 year old children and utilized the “wordless color book” in order to share the gospel. As a result, several children each day accepted Christ as their Savior. It was an extremely rewarding experience to know that I just impacted someone’s life for eternity. Secondly, it gave me an opportunity to see the “bigger picture”.
During my previous trips to St. Kitts, I was not only able to experience another culture, but also able to see the need for Christ in other parts of the world. The children in St. Kitts are just as much of a target by Satan as the children in the United States and sharing the gospel with them is just as important. Lastly, being able to go back to St. Kitts last year and seeing so many familiar faces felt like home. It is extremely touching when the children run up to you and embrace you because they remembered your face and sometimes even your name. Its nothing like going back to a place where you have planted a seed for Christ and being able watch Him water it.
In conclusion, stepping out of my comfort zone and embarking on a mission trip was the last thing on my mind two years ago. However, God had other plans for me. As a result, I have developed such a passion for children and reaching them for Christ that I am currently the Children’s ministry director at my church. The enormity of the Great commission is a daunting thought, however if I can impact one child at a time for Christ it is worth attempting the task.
