One WCA Teacher’s Summer Break in Africa
High school Spanish teacher Lauren Hutson recently traveled to Africa as a missionary with her church. Below is an interview with her about her trip.
How did you get started going to Africa?
My church, the Summit, had a short term missions meeting where the leaders of each trip shared more information. I felt as though God was leading me to step out of my comfort zone to go to a different place since I’ve always gone to countries in Latin America.
Were you nervous before the start of the trip? Why?
I was nervous about being able to communicate since the language there is Bambera. Thankfully, we had three translators that helped us tremendously to interpret the gospel stories.
What was your purpose in going to Africa on this trip?
My purpose in going on going to Africa was to see what ministry looks like in a culture that is predominately Muslim (approximately 90%). I also wanted to experience sharing the gospel in a village where the people would be hearing the gospel for the first time. There is currently no church and no body of believers meeting for worship, yet there was such a thirst for God.
What did you expect to accomplish on this trip? Did you accomplish it?
Our mission on this trip was to share the gospel as much as possible through sharing stories. The people group we ministered to are the Bambera. They pass down information to the next generation through oral storytelling. They were very interested to hear Bible stories and were able to remember them with such clarity. Our team verse was Mark 3:14: “He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.” Our leader reminded us daily that we can not gain any favor with God for “roughing it” out in a remote village in Africa. Our mission was simply to walk with God each day and share the good news of the gospel.
What is something that surprised you on this trip?
I was most surprised that there are currently only two believers in the village we were in. We passed by many mosques and could hear the calls to prayer everyday. It’s one thing to know that a country is mainly Muslim and another for God to break your heart for the people that have never once heard the Truth. We got to share in their daily lives and weave the gospel into normal conversation.
Where did you stay? What did you eat?
Our cook was a local woman who we hired for the time we were in the village. She cooked traditional African dishes. We had a rice pudding for breakfast, drank hot tea around noon, and ate rice and meat for dinner. We ate out of a large bowl with our hands. We slept outside in the main courtyard in mosquito nets under the stars. When it rained, we moved our nets inside the mud huts.
What is your most memorable experience from the trip?
The most memorable experience for me was when the entire village gathered together one night to hear the gospel message from creation to the early church. We were sitting under the stars and everyone paid such close attention to the message. It was beautiful to hear the message being translated and it made me think of how it must have been in biblical times when Jesus revealed what his Father was like by telling stories and answering questions. Since they are an oral storytelling culture, they will remember and be able to retell these gospel stories for years to come.
What advice can you give to students who may be considering a missions trip?
I would encourage students to take advantage of the opportunity to go to Latin America for spring break. Short term missions has opened my eyes to see that the world is much bigger than what I have grown accustomed to here in North Carolina. God is at work all around the world and being a part of the global church causes me to reflect on my faith. Am I doing all I can to reach out to the lost around me in the U.S? Am I trusting in God alone for my salvation? I would advise students who are considering a missions trip to pray and ask God how they can best serve. All believers are called to take part in the Great Commission of “making disciples of all nations.” The question is how each one of us can obey that commandment. Some are called to send others into the missions field. Some are called to make disciples here, whereas others are called to foreign missions. God could use the trip to call you to long term missions or he could use it to help you see the God of every culture at work in a powerful way. In my experience, God has always taught me more through my experiences in foreign cultures than I have been able to give.
What advice can you give to parents whose children want to be involved in foreign missions?
My advice to parents whose children want to be involved in foreign missions is to loosen your grip of any hold you may have on your children. They belong to the Lord. It was so encouraging for me to know that my parents and others praying for my team and I while we were in Mali. The Lord is our shield and strength. He is also the Lord of the harvest, which is plentiful. What could be better than your child choosing to follow God’s call to make disciples of all nations?
