We tutored students in grades K-8, repaired the kitchen, painted the building, and created a classroom mural of Moses parting the Red Sea.
On June 14, 2023, my husband and I were excited to participate in our first mission trip to Belize with our church, Madison Mission. The trip was organized through Thirst Missions, who partnered with the local Seventh-day Adventist church and school in Orange Walk, Belize.
Our specific mission assignments at the church were to conduct home visits, distribute bags of groceries and to conduct health seminars. At the school, we tutored students in grades K-8, repaired the kitchen, painted the building and created a classroom mural of Moses parting the Red Sea.
There were 54 of us “missionaries” and for at least 15 of us, this was our first mission trip. Like the rest of the rookies, I didn’t know what to expect coming to Belize. I had been in prayer prior to leaving home that God would use me in some way to bless others. However, I had no skills in carpentry, painting or teaching kids. In our morning devotions we were reminded of our calling to minister to others. Jesus could have picked the learned men of the synagogues but instead chose 12 rough neck fishermen as his disciples. So like the disciples, God used what I did have…a heart of compassion and a desire to be His hands and feet. I was assigned to home visits.
On home visits, my missionary partner and I met people in the community who allowed us to come into their homes to pray with and for them. As I listened to their prayer requests for employment and children to accept Christ, I was most touched by their prayer requests of healing. Prayers to heal blindness and cancers. Oh to have their faith! While I wanted to pray prayers of comfort in their present situation, they were petitioning God to do what physicians said was impossible to do. I was spiritually filled to be reminded that God is the Great Physician and there is no limit to what He can do.
On Sabbath, we worshipped with the church members and had AY in the afternoon. During AY, many in my group shared stories of how they were being blessed while completing their missionary assignments. In return, many students, teachers and church members expressed their appreciation for our service through drawings and gifts of mangos. Additionally, we were treated with a performance of traditional Mayan dance and a demonstration of the Mayan ball game of Pok-ta-Pok with Belizean high-schoolers.
I was humbled by what God taught me on this mission trip. I traveled back home feeling grateful. Grateful for the opportunity to minister to others and being ministered to.
Stephanie Matthews
Research and Development Assistant
Regional Conference Retirement Plan
