I've always wanted to be a missionary. I got a glimpse of mission work on Young Disciples' (YD) Seventh Mission Experience to Quezon, Palawan, Philippines, from Feb. 27 to March 29. We held 14 nights of evangelistic meetings using New Beginnings for the adults' meetings, and YD's Truth for Youth for the children's meetings. There were 17 youth, ages 15 to 21, with four adults on the trip. We had three evangelism teams: DVD Evangelism, who did all the sermons for the adult meetings; Child Evangelism, who were responsible for the children's meetings; and Health Evangelism, who did evening health talks, visited the sick, staged a health expo and ministered in the community.
I was really blessed by being in the Health Evangelism group. Being with the sick and poor made me truly see how much I have, and how spoiled our culture is. In Quezon's hospitals, the patients didn't have more than a thin blanket covering their board beds! It's amazing what luxuries Americans are considered to have—ovens, hot water, clean water, beds, windows, and the list goes on. I'm so glad I was able to share God with these people. They may not have clean water, but many now have the Fountain of Life from which to drink freely!
Seeing people responding to our efforts and seeing lives change in only two weeks was amazing! I'll never forget the last Sabbath, the day I was baptized! I remember thinking of how the last month had changed my life, and how I wanted to really become a Christian. I'm very glad I came home a different person than when I left. I've had many trials, and fallen too, but my faith is growing! I'm so thankful for a life-changing God! Even if we had only touched the life of one person, it would have been worth it! And at least one life was changed—mine!
