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Through young eyes

A teenager takes a life-changing trip to Africa and comes to know "the most powerful ministry.''

By GAIL HOLLENBECK
Published August 12, 2006

Paige Einboden, 16, has come a long way. After a troubled childhood that included thoughts of suicide and months of professional counseling, by age 12 she was desperate for help.

In January 2003 she attended a horseback riding trip with Calvary Christian Center's youth group, Omega Youth Ministry.

A month later, at a Sunday night youth service, she says her life changed forever.

"I was radically saved and completely set free from any suicidal thoughts," Paige said in a recent interview.

Three and a half years later, Paige is a student leader with Omega Youth Ministry.

She helps with Friday night services and a small group Wednesday nights and actively participates in intense discipleship.

"My testimony of what God has brought me from and what he did to get my attention is a loud voice in the lives of Citrus County's young people," she said of her ministry.

Last month, Paige was one of nine students and four adults from her church who traveled to Africa to minister to the needy in Bulembu, Swaziland, and the people of the Lozi, Tokelaya and Tonga tribes in Zambia.

Here are excerpts from the journal Paige kept during that trip. More will be published during the next two weeks on the Citrus Times' religion page.

July 1

Today we split into two teams and drove to opposite sides of Bulembu. When we arrived, we began a game of tag with the kids. Pastor Ottis (Barnett, Calvary youth pastor) pulled out his guitar and started playing some simple, easy American songs.

One of the boys had learned how to play the guitar a bit, so Pastor Ottis gave the guitar to him for a few minutes. He began to play Open the Eyes of My Heart. He said it was his favorite song.

We began the service inside a little church. There were about 30 children who came to our area that morning. Another 30 went to the other group as well.

We had planned for one of our team's students to do a lesson and game that morning, but as a missionary, we have to be flexible to the desires and needs of the people.

The leader asked Pastor Ottis to do a specific lesson on the victory we have over the enemy. He spoke out of John 10:10. We then prayed for the kids who were sick or if there was something going on in their lives.

I watched Pastor Ottis pray over a young boy about 4 years old. Afterwards, he looked up at Pastor Ottis and just hugged his leg for a few minutes while Pastor Ottis reached down and held him close. All these kids want is to be held and to know that they're loved. It's the most powerful ministry: love.

We fed them rice, beans and a plain cookie after the message. For some, it would be the only meal they receive for a few days. It was an awesome time to hang out and relate to the children and teens in the area and just spend time with them. Building relationships opens the doors to the Gospel.

July 2

Today we traveled three hours to Siteki. We conducted a children's meeting and an adult meeting at the same time.

After the sermon, each group passed out balloon animals and Tootsie Rolls. The older kids did some games and activities with soccer balls and Frisbees, and my group started doing some activities with songs.

They did a dance where one child goes into the middle of the circle, and to the beat of the song that the rest of the kids sing throws one leg into the air and claps their hands under their leg.

After they did it, they asked us to do it. Two of our team members attempted the dance, making everybody laugh hysterically.

We went to one of the houses of a main family for lunch. They had cooked chicken and maize, a common, filling and cheap cornmeal often made in Africa. They also brought out lemonade, but because of the diseases in the water, we had to accept it with thanksgiving but weren't allowed to drink it.

The ladies then brought out a bowl of chunks of dark meat. They began to pass it around and each of us put a piece on our plates. Because our group had a rule to eat all meat because it is valuable, I ate the chicken first to make sure I finished it. I then took my first bite of the dark meat chunk and managed to get it down without too much of a problem.

We left the house and went back to the meeting place, where we conducted a teen program. Then we did a food distribution of dried noodles, oranges and raisins. It's amazing how many people will charge you when you have food in your hands.

The ministry opportunity we had was amazing. God did some big things in that village. Before we left, Carl (Vonderhaar, a missionary in Bulembu) spoke one last time before the people.

One of the elders addressed the crowd: "If we want God's blessing on our village and area, we must do what we have been told to do."

July 3

We traveled to Makaya Animal Reserve, where we stayed overnight and participated in two safaris.

It was amazing to see so many different African animals and we had some bonding time while spending hours in a safari truck.

The food and entertainment Sunday night were amazing and we received a good taste of African culture.

We headed back to Bulembu. As I came down the hill into the main area of Bulembu, I looked around and felt like I was driving home. It was the weirdest feeling ever. I never thought Bulembu, Swaziland, would feel like a home to me.

After dinner, our adult leaders decided that we needed to pray for the rest of the trip and some of the spiritual attacks that we would go through as a team on our mission.

We spent about three hours praying for the area, each other, our team, the upcoming events.

Next week: More from Paige's journal.

[Last modified August 12, 2006, 07:23:46]