I always say Guyana was my first official mission trip, but I went on my first one when I was 14. My youth group went to North Carolina to help with some projects at a camp. I’m sure we helped, but to me, there wasn’t any sacrifice. I got to goof around with friends and sat on a bus for a long time.

Guyana was different. Not only was I an adult now but it was out of the country. I was going with service and sacrifice in mind. Don’t get me wrong I had fun, with friends and this was an even longer trip! But I saw a real change in me, and those around me because of this trip.

In Guyana, there were talks with kids about how there is one true God, ways we can share the gospel with friends, and some even with their parents who were of a different religion. When I think about everything we did I don’t remember how hot and sticky it was or how bad the water tasted (that one was hard to forget) but how we had over 80 kids at their very first bonfire. We were able to worship together and praise the Lord!

I left Guyana with a new sense of what service was and a hunger for more