A Teen's Perspective of Missions

Our team from First Baptist Church, Longview, spent a week in August helping to lead a Vacation Bible School and revival services at Chariho Southern Baptist Church in Bradford, Rhode Island.

In the afternoons, the team traveled about thirty miles east to the South Kingstown, Rhode Island, area where they prayerwalked and distributed information  in surrounding neighborhoods.  This was to support a new church plant, The Bridge, which launched in the area last spring and ministers to area residents as well as students at the University of Rhode Island.

Faith Pendleton, an FBC Longview member, who has just completed her first semester at Texas State University at San Marcos, Texas, brought lots of youthful energy to our team! In fact, she is pictured here as we celebrated her 18th brithday while on the trip.  Following are her comments about her involvement in sharing God's love in New England:

"Going to Rhode Island this summer was the best mission trip experience I have ever had. As I prepared for the trip I thought that I was at a content point in my life with God. Little did I know all the ways he would work on my heart. Chariho Baptist Church in Bradford, RI has the desire for Christ that I strive to have in my life. To them it’s real. Nothing else in this life matters to them, except for what God’s desire is for their lives to be. The opportunity that I had to lead recreation at VBS was life altering. I saw the kids react to each other in such a Christ-like way; I saw them practice what they were learning in VBS. It made every doubt that I was struggling with about God disappear. Overall, the trip helped me more than I could ever help the people of Chariho. They taught me what true brotherly love is and to love without boundaries. I cannot wait to go back and see my New England friends next summer!"