It was the last week before Thanksgiving break at Indiana Academy; students were looking forward to a nice, restful vacation. The junior Bible class, however, was challenged with a fund-raising opportunity during the break. Surprisingly, the class responded positively.

I would speak at an evangelistic meeting in Brazil during Christmas break. In preparation for those meetings, $400 was needed to hire a Bible worker. The Bible worker would be hired in advance of the meetings to prepare the way. He would also assist during the meetings, preparing people for baptism. After the meetings, the Bible worker would follow up with visits and continued studies.

The junior class was excited to be a part of the plan. They had only one week during Thanksgiving break to raise the needed money. Since this was putting faith into practice, students could earn up to 50 bonus points for their creative ideas, implementation, and participation.

During the break, some students solicited church members; other efforts resulted in church offerings collected. Parents were asked to contribute, and some students gave from personal savings. Chris Mathis went through the phone book and called people to ask for contributions. Rob Bartlett washed his parents' car for a donation. He said, "I was happy to see that because I did one small thing … 11 people are happy in Christ. It just goes to show the effect people's actions have on others." Roland Neri asked his parents if there was something he could do to raise the money. They paid him to vacuum the house and clean the garage.

What took place their first day back was nothing short of a miracle. Money was counted, and we praised God the students exceeded the fund-raising goal by $60. To express appreciation for their commitment and dedication, students were given a special class party.

Did they enjoy this experience? Rashid Tenga said, "To know that it helped someone find eternal life is just overwhelming. I should give more!!" Elkyn Beltre said, "This project showed me that I could still help out in mission trips without having to leave the country. It was amazing to see how our Bible class of about 18 people had such a great impact on that mission trip, and that God works in many ways." Andrew Dunder remarked, "It felt good to be part of sending a Bible worker and having a small part in baptizing the people."

Another student, Kathy Caulley, wasn't enthusiastic about the challenge at first. She remarked, "Well, when I first heard that we had to raise money, I thought, 'Oh, great, just my luck.' But I had so much fun that I want to do it again."

Every day I am amazed how God teaches me to never underestimate the power of young people in His service. Thanks to the effort of these young Christian students, 11 people in Brazil were baptized in one week. Now that’s real youth impact!

Luis Beltre Jr. is the chaplain at Indiana Academy.