The Battle Creek Academy 2004 graduating class didn’t plan to go to Elias Burgos Youth Camp in Puerto Rico. They were all set to go on a three-day senior trip like any other senior class. While exploring their options, it came to their attention that Nicholas Zork, coordinator of "We Care Domestic Mission Trips," was organizing a one-week mission trip to Puerto Rico through the Center for Youth Evangelism at Andrews University. After a lot of discussion and prayer, it was decided to join the one-week service project, fully aware that they only had half the money needed for the venture.
The students determined to do all that they could do to raise the necessary funds, and then depend on the Lord to open the "floodgates of heaven," if this trip was His will. In a little over two months, they raised nearly $10,000. In addition, one constituent provided the funds that would allow the students to go three days early to tour the island before they were scheduled to work.
This set the tone for the trip. Everyone did all that they could do, and then let the Lord work out the details. On Sunday, March 21, BCA students joined students from Wisconsin Academy, Auburn Academy, and a youth group from Beaverton, Oregon, as they started clearing the ground for an outdoor amphitheater at the Elias Burgos Youth Camp. They formed and poured concrete benches to seat 350 people, which then had to be carried up hill and put in place. They were able to complete this project plus replace tile in several bathrooms, replace the stucco on the pool house, put a fresh coating on many of the camp roofs, and a lot of fresh paint in many of the buildings.
Abbie Rodriguez, camp pastor, had been trying to get the camp utility truck running for some time before the missionaries arrived. He had spent $2000 of his own money trying to fix it to no avail. The BCA group took up an offering amongst themselves and collected $1,800 from the 20 students and adults so that Pastor Rodriguez could make the necessary repairs. In addition, they left a complete set of Sabbath school felts with the local Adventist church youth department and visited a local public elementary school to share thoughts on service to others and dental hygiene. Each child present received a new toothbrush, labeled in Spanish.
Summing up the trip, Ken Wilson, class sponsor, shared: "Knowing this senior class as a highly spiritual and closely united group, it was very gratifying to see them take leadership roles in working together well and reaching out to other students from different groups on the trip. Christ was well represented by this class in Puerto Rico."
Michelle Cain is the Battle Creek Academy marketing director.
