My First Mission Trip: West Virginia 2014

In late-July 2014, I was about to go into my senior year of high school. I still attended Cleveland First Baptist with my parents, and was a part of the media team. Our pastor, Rick Dill, had informed our CrossWalk youth group that we would be hosting some youth from a church in Weimar, Germany. Pastor Rick and his wife Nancy served in Germany as missionaries for over 25 years.

I was excited to meet new people from another part of the world! I took off media duties for that week and went to Sunday school to greet the Germans. I loved getting to know them! As many of you know, I come from a Spanish-speaking family. I have always been surrounded by people who speak English or Spanish. It was weird to hear the German youth speak and not understand what they were saying. I would have the opportunity to learn a little German later that week, as the German youth group would be leading a kid’s camp at our church. After Sunday school, the German youth led the worship service. During that service, we prayed for the CrossWalk and German youth group, who would be leaving later that week to go to West Virginia to serve a small church there. I was not a part of that group. I had always been kind of timid, which I guess is why I liked to work behind the scenes at church. Instead, I had written close to 50 cards to the Cleveland and German youth groups for them to open on the trip. 

Things were about to change!

Kids Camp began on Monday! I had volunteered to serve alongside the German youth group. Throughout the week, I enjoyed learning about the German culture, tasting some wonderful German food, learning worship songs in German, and studying the Bible with the kids. On Monday, our youth pastor, Mark, asked me if I would consider going to West Virginia. I was like, “It’s kind of late for that. I don’t know if I could serve as well as other. Maybe another time.” Camp continued, with us taking the German youth group to experience a different part of Blount County afterwards. On Tuesday, Pastor Rick’s wife Nancy came up to me and said, “I wish you were going with us to West Virginia.” I replied, “Maybe next year.” Wednesday was a special day. There were lots of activities going on: it was my brother’s birthday (We did a surprise birthday party for him, which included a piñata. Watching the Germans go at the piñata for the first time in their lives was very interesting!), we were having a special blackout service for the both youth groups, and we were almost finished with German camp. After camp on Wednesday, Mark called me to his office and he told me that they had space for one more person to come on the trip. He told me to pray about it. I was very hesitant. What good would I be? I was in charge of putting together the blackout worship service. As I picked out the songs that would be played, I felt God say, “Trust me! Face your fears!” I went to the bank and took out all the money I had in my saving account and called Mark, telling him, “I’ll go!” Later that night, I announced to both youth groups that I would be joining them on the mission trip to West Virginia!

Kids Camp ended on Thursday. Saturday came, and off I went to CFBC with my bags packed. Four vehicles from the church were going up to West Virginia. Close to 50 youth and adults from Cleveland and Germany were getting ready to crowd into 3 vans and make the drive up to West Virginia. The drive was supposed to be 8 hours, but it was over 12. Many were tired from the ride, but to me that was a short ride compared to when we travel in car to Mexico to visit family. That ride is close to 48 hours in a car! We would be staying in a gym of a church. The next day, we got up and early for worship at the church we would be doing a camp at in Beckley, West Virginia. Afterwards, we got ready for the upcoming week. Throughout the week, we did the same camp that we had done in Cleveland. During the afternoons, we went on adventures in West Virginia. During the night, we all got together to worship and do Bible study. Pastor Rick talked about many subjects that related to us as teenagers. One thing I connected with was missions. Why would someone go to a different country and not know the language? I felt God tell me, “Look Noe, look at your German brothers and sisters who are with you now. They made a sacrifice to come here and lead kids camp. If you truly want to follow me, you may need to get a little uncomfortable, but it’s worth it!” Throughout the week, we had worship and two songs struck my heart. “Live Like That” by Sidewalk Prophets spoke to me and made me ask all the questions that the song lyrics ask. The other song was “How Great is Our God”, the version that is sung in many languages, like Spanish and Russian. God gave me one word, “hallelujah.” I was like, “why that word?” I then remembered someone once saying something that the word “hallelujah” has the same meaning in every language. I decided to test this by going on a translator. Every language I clicked on said “hallelujah!” How great that all of God’s children are connected by one word, no matter what the language! Somewhere during this trip, I became more open, more enthusiastic, more bold! God had brought me closer to Him, and taught me to love the work of missions!

We safely returned to Alabama the following Saturday. We were sad to see our German friends leave, but I knew that God had brought them to us for a reason. I still am friends with all of them and love to communicate with them. (You watch a video of our mission trip HERE)

The mission trip to West Virginia in 2014 taught me so much. However, with all the senior year activities, and then college activities, I began to get further from God. In February 2016, I felt God lead me to attend one service at Gardendale First Baptist. I enjoyed it and went a few more times in 2016. In February 2017, I felt God saying, “I’m going to lead you here. Don’t question it. GO!” I was confused. I didn’t know anyone from GFBC. I loved serving on the media team at Cleveland! It was my home church. Although I miss the people at Cleveland, I am seeing God open doors for me that I never thought were possible! I started going to the college group, SUB25, and strengthening my relationship with God. This year, I have been a part of Serve Sunday (greeting people on Sunday mornings with my fellow college students), VBS, and recently, serving in the kid’s ministry. All these things are in front of the scenes! I see that same enthusiasm, same boldness, and same love for mission I had when I went to West Virginia. This time, I plan of sticking with that enthusiasm and boldness. I have a wonderful college pastor and LifeGroup who I know will hold me accountable. I WANT to go not just across the street, but around the world and tell others what God has done for me! I PRAY that God would open doors, like I know He does and will! I will surrender my dreams and goals to follow wherever He leads! People need God! I can’t imagine doing life without Him! I don't know what the future holds, but I know the One who holds it.

If I had one verse that describes my experience with God in West Virginia, it would be 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound Judgement.”