Members of a church youth group got a firsthand look at how charitable ministering brings hope to poor people far from American suburbia.
By EBONY WINDOM
Published September 18, 2004
NEW PORT RICHEY - From the airplane window it was a picturesque view. Teens clamored to get a better look at the enormous, snowcapped Andes Mountains and man-made skyscrapers. It was their first look at Argentina.
"Kids went crazy," said Jim Johnson, who helped organize the trip. "The flight attendant had to tell the kids to please be seated."
In July, 33 teens and adults from Beacon Community Church set out on a mission trip to the South American country. The goal was simple: to reach people for Christ. The youth group crisscrossed Argentina on a chartered bus offering music and a message.
The visit would give them a chance to sample the flavor of another culture and share their faith. Their three-week journey allowed them to minister to poor kids in small towns such as Monte and Bariloche. For the group of mostly high-schoolers, it was a summer vacation of a lifetime. And, they would have quite a story to tell on their first day of school.
"We wanted them to see what God is doing in the entire world and see how the gospel is moving in other cultures," Johnson said.
Every two years, Beacon's youth leaders organize a similar trip. In 2002, the group traveled to Costa Rica. Getting to Argentina was no easy feat. It cost each student $1,800. The youths spearheaded a full-scale fundraising campaign. For months, they offered carwashes and hawked roses and spaghetti dinners to raise the money.
"And prayed a lot," said Stephen Jones, 17, who made the trip.
But, in the end, they made it happen.
The trip was carefully planned. The group bunked in hostels and hotels in each town they visited. An itinerary mapped out each activity.
They immersed themselves in the new culture.
The teens paused for a midday siesta and munched on Spanish meat pies called empenadas. One girl dined on a chunk of horse meat, a delicacy in Argentina.
"I thought it was ham," said Amy Cox, 20.
The Rev. Pat Jones ate another unusual food, cow's throat, and became ill, leading to a few days in the hospital. The trip required everyone to brush up on their Spanish. And, a team of translators came to the rescue, too.
The Beacon group first set up camp in a town known as Monte, miles away from the hustle and bustle of the capital, Buenos Aires. Monte is a rural village where horsedrawn buggies clip-clop along unpaved roads. And folks there are so poor, they seek shelter beneath makeshift houses made of cardboard or tin.
It was a far cry from what these cell phone-toting teens from Beacon were used to. But they were eager to lend a hand. Many of them even rolled up their sleeves and helped in the construction of a new church in Monte. They poured concrete to form the building's foundation.
The main event was the daily worship service under a big, white tent. Local kids flocked to Monte to enjoy crafts and a bootleg tape of The Passion of the Christ in Spanish.
And, despite the language barrier, the Beacon youth group found unique ways to minister. In Monte, kids gathered around Jeff Simpson, 19, as he strummed a tune on his acoustic guitar.
The Beacon group bonded with the locals, learning their names and kicking the soccer ball around in the plaza.
"This trip was real special because we got to know the heart of the people," said Lynn Turner, a chaperone.
"Over 30 percent of the population is under the poverty line," said Johnson, Beacon's director of ministry development. "There were street kids all over the place."
Some of the Beacon youngsters were in awe.
One local girl approached the group and asked for money. At the same time, she was trying to make off with someone's wallet, Johnson said.
That was a wakeup call.
"After that, they knew they were in another place," Johnson said.
The group spent a week ministering to kids at an orphanage in Bariloche. A tiny cottage is what more than 100 parentless kids call home. And, they have had tough times. During daily worship, they shared stories of physical and sexual abuse. And, later, testimonies of triumph.
"At night, kids would just tell their stories of their past and abuse by their parents," said Tia Raimo, 17. "The biggest thing was how they forgave God and their parents."
Turner agreed. "It was so humbling," she said. "We went there thinking we were going to help them. They were already so spiritually equipped. Their faith is alive. You can't deny that."
"It was emotionally taxing," Simpson said. "I lay in my bed at night and cried myself to sleep. I asked God "Why did you choose me to live in America and have all of these privileges?"'
Some of the Beacon group sent heartfelt messages to their family via e-mail. Stephen Jones brought along his laptop computer to post photos on the church's Web site.
Steven Turner, 13, didn't have to send e-mails home. His whole family was nearby. They came along for the trip.
"The trip taught me to have a better attitude about stuff," he said. "We're like "I want a new video game.' They're like "I need socks."'
Raimo gave a local girl the jacket off her back.
"Everybody was shocked. They know me as this fashion person . . . But, I can always buy a new jacket," she said.
After a day of shopping in Bariloche, the Beacon crew boarded the bus back to the airport. Their new Argentine friends gathered around for hugs. Some were crying.
"It was neat to be able to take our talents to another continent and use it for (God's) glory," Simpson said.
