Quest 26 Recap: Learning to Serve Like Jesus
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
-Mark 10:45
This has long been the theme verse for Quest, the BCNE’s leadership development experience for 11th-grade students. At the completion of its 26th year, Quest has now seen 571 students participate. The 25 students from 15 congregations around New England who participated in Quest 26 spent time over the last 9 months learning what it looks like to serve humbly as Jesus did, how to work on a unified team, and how to use their gifts to meet the needs of their communities.
The final phase of the experience was a week-long mission trip in February, during which the students were sent in three teams with faculty to different locations: Puerto Rico, Scotland, and the Dominican Republic.
Below, you can read several of the students’ reflections on their experience and takeaways from seeing God at work in a community outside their own.
Puerto Rico
The Q26 Puerto Rico team partnered with Send Relief to reseal a roof and redo a home's exterior for a couple who had experienced water damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017.
“The trip to Puerto Rico was very encouraging and inspiring. During the trip, I really saw how intentional God is in the way He works and how He places people where they are to use them in so many different ways. One of the most encouraging things for me was when one of the missionaries shared a story that paralleled what my family was going through. I really felt that God was encouraging me not to be discouraged about what is happening and to place my faith in Him; no matter what happens, He is in perfect control and will use anything to glorify his kingdom. One way that the trip has continued to impact me is by being more intentional in my prayer life. I have learned to love to pray and become more aware of God’s presence throughout my daily life.”
-Tobias Counts, Northshire Baptist Church, VT
“I am forever grateful for the trip to Puerto Rico, as it opened my eyes to the privilege we have to worship and share God’s Word freely without persecution. During our time there, we had the opportunity to serve a family by repainting their house and roof, as well as partnering with Send Relief to support the community. This trip reminded me of how God intentionally gives us time to build community and places people in our lives who share similar experiences. One verse that stood out to me was Ephesians 4:26, which says, ‘Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.’ It was easy to become frustrated and react quickly, but I worked on controlling my tone and thinking before I spoke, which is something I now aim to practice in my everyday life.”
-Vera Asho, Lighthouse Church, MA
Scotland
The Q26 Scotland team partnered with Dennistoun Baptist Church to assist in launching a formalized youth program, clearing out construction waste for their new church building, and strengthening their partnership with Shettleston Baptist Church in the neighboring suburban town of Shettleston.
“My favorite part of the Quest program was applying everything we learned overseas, and then taking it home. While in Glasgow, I was able to have a Gospel conversation with someone we met there and see how he reacted to it. He was encouraged to see so many young people loving the Lord, and is continuing to learn more and more about Jesus by attending the church! God used this experience in my life to give me confidence to share the Gospel at home and be more open about my faith, and to show me that He is the same God wherever you go. I also really enjoyed seeing worship there because it showed me just how Great our God is.”
-M’Kayla Haynes, Church on Seven Hills, MA
Dominican Republic
The Q26 Dominican Republic team partnered with Ina York and Comunidad de Esperanza (Community of Hope) to dig a foundation for a storage unit that would be utilized as a bathroom for the villages of Cercadillo and Vietnan. Students also got to spend time playing games and sharing their testimonies with children from these villages.
“My Quest trip to the DR was truly an unforgettable experience. I had so much fun spending quality time with my team and the people of Santo Domingo. I really saw God moving through the project we helped start by how efficient and joyful we were as a team working throughout the week. God really gave us the strength to go back to the worksite every morning and keep pushing, and helped us finish our part of the project quicker than we expected. I also saw God move in the children of the villages, seeing how they were filled with happiness when we went to play with them, and also when our host Ina was reviewing Bible stories and the children were so eager to answer the questions. On this trip, I learned a lot about what it means to truly put others before me, through labor or just conversations. God was able to show me ways I can humble myself before others just like Jesus did.”
-Julia Ghobreyal, Calvary Chapel, PA & Lighthouse Church, MA
“Before going on the Quest trip, I did not realize the importance of the role I signed up for, and so I didn't prepare myself for what was to come. Fast forward, the experience I had that week changed my whole perspective of reality. The connections that were made that week gave me a sense of realization that you should treasure your friends, your family, and even those among you. Having a community around you, and even people to help you get back up when you fall is a gift that God provides for us. The same way we get help, we need to get involved in serving others. But you cannot do that if you don't know the primary first step, which is to serve God. Throughout the trip, I started to notice how different the living conditions were in the DR. Everywhere around I saw the struggles the citizens of the Dominican Republic faced daily. Then the Lord opened my eyes, I started to feel more appreciative of what I have and to not take everything for granted. If you're reading this, remember that everything around you is a gift that God has given you.”
-Philib Asho, Lighthouse Church, MA
To read more about each team’s experiences on location, check out the Quest Blog.
If your church would like to get involved in Youth Ministry opportunities like Quest, please contact me at rghobrial@bcne.net. I look forward to serving your youth!