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School is out and summer is here. What are you going to do with all of your free time? Go to the beach, ride bikes, swim, go to the mall, or work? There’s yet another option I’d like to share with you: Use your summer to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. First Timothy 4:12 says, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

The Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) runs a short-term ministry initiative called Expedition, designed specifically with teens in mind. Expedition consists of a four-day training program, known as “boot camp,” and a ten-to-fourteen-day ministry trip. Boot camps take place in three locations each summer: one in Pennsylvania, one in Indiana, and one in California. While some teams stay in the U.S. for the ministry portion of Expedition, most teams travel globally to destinations such as Thailand, Jamaica, France, Chile, Peru, Australia, South Africa, or the Philippines.

Tim Geney from Perry, Michigan, participated in Expedition last summer and would never have guessed how boot camp would change his life. “I was a little anxious, but glad to do it,” he admitted. Tim knew that his heart was directed toward missions, “but boot camp affirmed it,” he said.

The weekend-long boot camps were filled with sessions and discussions about what to expect on a missions trip. Other more intense sessions were meant to shatter unbiblical ideas about ministry. Sessions split into guys and girls were designed to encourage the members in areas where they may possibly struggle while on their trips. It also gave them practical advice in areas such as clothing, speech, behavior, hygiene, etc. The rest of the time was spent in personal devotions, prayer, and working on testimonies in preparation to share them at any and every opportunity. “The most helpful thing about boot camp was working on the testimonies,” Tim said. “The fellowship, the whole thing was a great experience.”

Expedition members also had the opportunity to speak to a panel of missionaries who were either home on break from the field or retired. These question and answer times were offered in order to give participants a better feel for what full-time mission work is like firsthand. A common feeling among the missionaries was found in their answers to the question, “What is the best part of being a missionary?” Although answers were a little different, most answered seeing a lost soul come to Christ, leading people to salvation, and watching new Christians passionately serving Christ and witnessing to others.

Sixteen-year-old Rachel Yoder from Calvary Baptist, Oceanside, California, shared, “Being able to ask the missionaries questions was the best part of the training. It was great to get a feel of what missions would really be like.”

Rachel traveled to Brazil this summer with Expedition and remarked how the trip opened her eyes and caused her to be thankful for all that she has in the United States. “God is everywhere,” she said. “He is in control. Even though these people live in such a different world, they have the same joy, peace, and love, and they are even more content than we are.”

Fifteen-year-old Jared Dennis from Santa Clarita Baptist Church, Santa Clarita, California, was also greatly impacted as a result of his trip to Brazil. “I went there expecting to minister to these people,” he expressed. “I never imagined that God would work a lot more in my life than we did in theirs.”

Although Jared recognizes that he is young, he believes he can have an impact on people’s lives. “[Teens] have a special way of relating to people,” Jared said. “We can reach people that adults can’t. . . . We need to show Christ’s love to everyone.”

While on their trips last summer, Expedition teams were involved in children’s ministry, Vacation Bible School, sports outreaches, church planting, visitations, and literature distribution. Thirteen-year-old Jenny Darling, a member of Tim Geney’s team, traveled to Simi Valley, California, and was paired with Cochran Street Baptist Church. The team marvels at God’s providence in how He brought the ministry partners together. The team had been praying for God to provide a church where they could serve on their trip this summer. Then some members from the tiny church in California visited Tim and Jenny’s home church in Michigan, all the time praying for some willing servants to help their church of fourteen members.

Tim believes that going on a missions trip is a life-changing experience; he encourages everyone, no matter what age, to experience it. “If I had to give one piece of advice, I would say don’t waste opportunities,” he said. “Take every chance God gives you to share the gospel.”

To find out more about how you can be involved in an Expedition, write to ABWE, P.O. Box 8585, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105; call 877-636-5478, ext. 352; e-mail expedition@abwe.org; or visit www.abwe.org.