By: Caden Wheat

Journalism I Student

Local youth group members step up to reach out to people through mission trips

The news might flutter with crimes and killings – but a new light is sparking for the youth.

We can trace this back to biblical times. Whether it’s near or far, mission trips have always been a big part of the Christian community. The task seems big, but the youth is jumping right into these courageous trips. Youth groups have been stepping up across the nation to help the world.

“Each trip I’ve been on has shaped my character in a significant and distinctive way,” youth minister Matt Allman said.

Allman is “The High School Guy” at Northside Christian Church in New Albany. Northside and their high school youth group, The Rising, have been involved with the North West Haiti Mission for four years. Allman said that he took a group of high school students there to try it out and they fell in love with the place.

“We went to a town that Northside sponsors in a village called Chansolme,”17-year-old junior Connor Williams said. “I loved walking up and down the streets of the village, and how welcoming the people were. Every time you’d walk up and down the street you’d find a little kids hand fit perfectly in yours.”

Williams has been going to The Rising for three years and went to Haiti his freshman year.

“I think going on a mission trip is essential to becoming a well rounded person, and well cultured,” Williams said.

Many students worldwide have these same thoughts as Williams. The youth is getting excited to make an impact.

“I believe high school students are becoming who they will be for the rest of their lives,” Allman said. “If done well, these are the times when you can change the course of their lives.

Mission trips aren’t just helpful to others, but also helpful to the students that are going on them. The trips have positive effects on the people that go on them and help them grow.

“A trip gives you something a bible study, sermons, and church services can’t,” Allman said.

Mission trips also teach the youth many things about the world today. In this society of materialistic things and instant gratification, it’s a change to see places where their youth is not as privileged.

“I just learned how different the rest of the world is than how we are,” Williams said. “It was a really humbling experience to see, see their culture and to see how unfortunate they are compared to Americans but still how happy they are.”

These trips are giving a whole new insight on different cultures. These students who go on these are also reaching out to do what they feel they were meant to do in their life.

“The best thing about mission trips is being able to spread the good news, just like we’re called to do,” Williams said. “Jesus called us to make disciples of all nations, so I think that’s the absolute best thing about mission trips. But even from a humanitarian perspective, if you want to be well rounded and well cultured and have an awesome experience then a mission trip is an awesome thing to do.”

The students know exactly what they’re set out to do and do it. The simple answer to some of their reasons why they went is just that God told them. Many of them also plan on going on other mission trips soon. Williams plans to head to Dunedin, New Zealand this summer and Allman will be in Haiti this spring.