Youths on Missions: Testimony Series #1 | 宣教中的青少年 见证集#1

In April 2024, an STM team, with half of its members being young adults, went to Honduras during their spring break. Here are some testimonies of how their lives were touched. 
2024年4月,一支有一半成员为年轻人的短宣队在春假期间前往洪都拉斯。以下是他们的一些感人见证。

" my worries disappeared as I began to watch them passionately praise God. "

During my trip to Honduras, I witnessed many touching and heartwarming moments, but one moment in particular stood out to me.

On the final days of our trip, we visited a prison. At first, I was a bit nervous and unsettled as a prison usually brings about thoughts of criminals and violence. Adding on to my worries, as our group walked into the compound, we were faced with multiple security checks, guards with guns, and seemingly tough living conditions. We then moved through more metal gates and entered a courtyard, where we sat with all the prisoners behind us. Then we began to worship, and though there was nothing between us and the prisoners, my worries disappeared as I began to watch them passionately praise God. Later, we also handed out food, drinks, and toiletries to the prisoners, and when I handed them an item, each one of them was polite and thankful. Now, back from the trip, I have realized the importance of this moment, that though the prisoners had faced tough times in prison for the crimes they may or may not have committed, they continued to wholeheartedly worship God and show kindness. This understanding has helped me learn the importance of forgiveness, as doing so can allow people to change for the better just like how some of the prisoners may have changed to accept God.
Justin Xu

" Helping them, spreading the word of God, and seeing the smiles on their face was so heartwarming it made me want to be able to continue with the trip and help everyone else."

” During the trip, the most eye-opening part was when we were able to go up the mountains and see the native tribe. We first had lunch, got settled, and prepared for the VBS. The VBS that day was not well since they did not listen to us much when we were singing but loved the stickers we gave them. They were also very hyped about the activities and drinks we had. After the activities, we met some families and gave them prayers and food. During the evening, we helped set up the church and worshiped. After worship, we had dinner and went to the dorms to rest. The next morning we woke up early to go for a small hike in the mountains to take pictures. We were almost too late to see the crafts that the natives made. After that, we packed up and got ready to go.

This was the first time I had been on a mission trip and the first time I was the counselor at a VBS. I had never been through anything like this so it was all new to me. This trip made me grateful for what I had and for the privileges I had living in the USA. At the start, I thought Honduras was a place like the rural parts of China. Full of farms, and animals with maybe some factories but in reality it was worse. Some places had no electricity, they had little to no clothes, they didn't have a cheap place to get water, food was expensive and the homes were falling apart. Helping them, spreading the word of God, and seeing the smiles on their face was so heartwarming it made me want to be able to continue with the trip and help everyone else. It is a miracle that there are still people who don't need to rely on electricity to live. Some of the people from my school are even unable to stay away from electronics for over a day. This trip was a nice way of getting away from school and electronics to help people who are more in need of help. “
Samuel Li

"Despite me not knowing Spanish and not having said a word to her at first, she decided to show trust and love. She made me realize that we should all show a little more love, even to those we don’t know."

” The day after we got back from the mountain after visiting the village, we spent the day at the children’s center and hiked up a mountain while visiting families on the way. 

At the children’s center, we held two VBSs. It was really encouraging to see that they knew the songs we sang. The kids were all really nice; they made sure everyone got the snacks we were handing out, and if something fell on the ground, they immediately picked it up and returned it to us without hesitation. This really made me realize how pure these kids are, and how greedy and selfish we all can be in comparison.

After the VBSs, we drove to a mountain to deliver food to families in need. As we hiked up the mountain from family to family, we stopped to pray for them and to hear about their lives and hardships. The obstacles that these families face make me feel ashamed to admit that I have ever complained about an unfair teacher or a bad test grade. 

After we finished visiting the families, we hiked up the rest of the mountain, with many of the kids going along with us. Sometime along the way when we were visiting families, a little girl came to me and started holding my hand. Her name was Lucia, and she held my hand all the way up and all the way back down the mountain until we reached her house again. Even when she left to play with her friends for a little while, she always came right back again. Despite me not knowing Spanish and not having said a word to her at first, she decided to show trust and love. She made me realize that we should all show a little more love, even to those we don’t know.

All in all, this trip made me realize how fortunate we all are, and how grateful we all should be for everything we have, and everyone we have around us. “
Bella Wang

“当我看到他们如此热情地赞美上帝时,我的那些担心都消失了”

在洪都拉斯短宣之旅,我见证了许多感人和温暖的时刻,其中一个令我印象深刻。

在旅行的最后一天,我们参观了一所监狱。起初,我有点紧张和不安,因为监狱通常会让人想到罪犯和暴力。更让我担心的是,当我们一行人走进监狱时,要经过多重安全检查,面对持枪的警卫和看起来非常艰苦简陋的环境。我们穿过重重金属门,进入一个庭院。我们坐在那里,所有囚犯都站在我们后面,我们开始了敬拜。当我看到他们如此热情地赞美上帝时,我的那些担心都消失了,尽管我们和囚犯之间什么屏障都没有。后来,我们还给囚犯们分发了食物、饮料和洗漱用品。当我递给他们物品时,他们每个人都很有礼貌,向我们表达感谢。短宣回来后,我意识到这一时刻的重要性,尽管囚犯们因他们可能犯下的或可能没有犯下的罪行而在监狱中艰难度日,但他们仍然全心全意地敬拜上帝,并表现出善意。这种体验帮助我了解了宽恕的重要性,因为这样做可以让人们变得更好,就像这些囚犯因为信靠,接纳上帝而生命发生了改变。
Justin Xu

“ 能够帮助到他们,给他们传福音,看到他们脸上的笑容,让我感到十分温暖。这激励我继续在短宣中,并去帮助其他人。”

这次洪都拉斯短宣,最令人大开眼界的是我们可以上花山探访印第安部落。我们到了山上先吃了午饭,安顿下来后,为 VBS 做准备。那天的 VBS 办得不太好,因为我们唱歌时他们不太听,但他们很喜欢我们带给他们的贴纸。他们也对我们安排的游戏活动非常喜欢,给他们发饮料令孩子们异常兴奋。活动结束后,我们去探访一些家庭,为他们祈祷并送给他们一些食物。晚上,我们帮忙搭建他们的教会并跟他们一起敬拜。之后吃了晚饭,睡觉休息。第二天早上,我们早早起床,去山上徒步拍照。我们几乎来不及看原住民制作的工艺品了就得收拾行装,返回基地。

这是我第一次参加短宣,也是我第一次在 VBS 担任辅导员。我从来没有经历过这样的事情,所以这一切对我来说都很新鲜。这次短宣让我感激我所拥有的一切,感激我在美国生活的特权。来之前,我以为洪都拉斯就像中国的农村,到处都是农田和牲畜,也许还有一些工厂,但实际情况更糟。洪都拉斯有些地方没有电,大多数人衣不蔽体,也没有干净便宜的饮用水,食物昂贵,房屋摇摇欲坠。能够帮助到他们,给他们传福音,看到他们脸上的笑容,让我感到十分温暖。这激励我继续在短宣中,并去帮助其他人。看到现在还有人可以不需要电就可以活着,这真是一个奇迹。我和同学们可是离了电子产品就一天也活不下去的。这次旅行让我远离学校和电子产品,去帮助有需要的人。
Samuel Li

“尽管我不懂西班牙语,一开始也没跟她说过一句话,但她还是表达了她对我的信任和爱。她让我感觉到,我们都应该努力去多表达一点爱,即使是对那些我们不认识的人,那是多美的一种感受啊!”

我们在参观完花山上的村庄后,我们在兰盖希望儿童中心度过了一天,那天我们去山上拜访了一些家庭。

在儿童中心,我们举办了两次 VBS。看到他们也会唱我们唱的歌,真的很鼓舞人心。孩子们都很好,他们确保每个人都能拿到我们分发的零食,如果有东西掉在地上,他们会立即捡起来并毫不犹豫地还给我们。这让我真正意识到这些孩子是多么纯洁,相比之下,我们是多么贪婪和自私。

VBS 结束后,我们开车去山上给有需要的家庭送食物。我们从一个家庭攀爬到另一个家庭,我们在他们家中为他们祈祷,听他们讲述他们的艰辛生活。这些家庭面临的困难让我羞于承认我曾经抱怨过老师不公平,还抱怨考试成绩不理想。

拜访完这些家庭后,我们和许多孩子一起爬剩下的山路。在我们探访途中,一个小女孩向我走来,开始牵着我的手。她的名字叫露西娅,她牵着我的手一路上山,下山,直到我们再次回到她家。中间她跑去和朋友们玩了一会儿,然后又马上回来找我。尽管我不懂西班牙语,一开始也没跟她说过一句话,但她还是表达了她对我的信任和爱。她让我感觉到,我们都应该努力去多表达一点爱,即使是对那些我们不认识的人,那是多美的一种感受啊!

总而言之,这次短宣让我深深地感受到我们是多么幸运,我们应该对我们拥有的一切以及我们身边的每一个人心存感激。
Bella Wang
Read More Honduras STM Testimonies
阅读更多洪都拉斯短宣见证

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