Your heart starts to beat faster and faster with each step you take closer to the stage. You step up each stair slowly, your mind focused solely on staying balanced, in an attempt to not make a fool of yourself. You walk towards the microphone, take it in your clammy hands, and turn around. As you take center stage, 300 children are staring at you blankly, waiting to be impressed with what you have to say. Your mouth begins to open, as you pray endlessly that the Lord gives you words. This is it, this is the first time you are sharing your testimony. Despite the nerves, words begin to come out of your mouth. The children nod in understanding and smile in relation as your nerves calm down. As the students react to what you say, you realize what is happening in that moment. God is speaking through you, as He uses your obstacles and trials to better relate to these students who do not believe in God.

Minimester is one aspect of the school that sets it apart from other Christian schools. For one week, just before spring break, students in Middle and Upper School travel locally, out-of-state or overseas to further their knowledge and spread the gospel. Circumstances do not always go as planned but in those moments God reveals His authority and changes the perspective of those who are obedient to His call.

LAUREN ARMSTRONG – UGANDA

As a Sophomore in high school, Senior Lauren Armstrong’s life took an unexpected turn when her father suddenly passed away. At the time, Lauren was filled with anger, doubt and rage at God, questioning why He would put her through such a miserable situation. Lauren could never have imagined how God would use that same situation for good.

But, since the tragedy in 2014, Lauren has learned to take the obstacles God has placed in her life and use them to positively encourage herself and those she influences. Last fall she felt God calling her to go on a mission trip to the country of Uganda, regardless of the potential dangers and risk of diseases like malaria.

While there, Lauren felt a connection with a young African girl named Caroline. Throughout the week, Lauren and Caroline began to grow closer and closer, as both emotional and language barriers were broken down between the two.

While in Kampala, Lauren was so moved by Caroline’s constant joy and happiness that she felt called to sponsor her once she got back home. Lauren wanted to find a way to connect with and stay in touch with Caroline, even if they were on opposite sides of the world.

After a heartbreaking goodbye, Lauren left Kampala, leaving Caroline’s joyful spirit behind. During the sponsorship process, Lauren was speaking to a leader of Caroline’s village and came across a fact about Caroline that moved her deeply. Caroline lived in a home without a father, just as Lauren did.

Lauren and Caroline formed an unforgettable friendship while in Uganda, before either knew of the other’s family situation. It was in this moment that Lauren discovered how God had used her situation for something good, giving her a reason for why God had taken her father, turned her world upside down, and put her through a tragedy.

While Lauren did not realize it at the time, the Lord had a plan. She said, “It was really eye-opening to me when I found out that Caroline lived in a single parent family without a dad. This truly showed me that having faith in all things and trusting God with my testimony is important when ministering to others. It’s truly amazing to know that you can connect with someone who lives over 8,000 miles away and be an encouragement to them, simply because of what you have been through in your own life.”

Her testimony and loss of her father allowed her to relate to Caroline, in a way that a majority of students would not have been able to do. Because of the trials the Lord had put in her life, Lauren was able to turn the tragedy to triumph and shine as a brighter light for Christ.

EVAN REYNA – NORTHERN ENGLAND

Out of the hundreds of students that signed up for Minimester trips, 15 students selected Honduras as their number one choice. These students felt called to small Central American country for a number of reasons, from youth ministry to practicing evangelism in a different language. However, God had a different plan.

During the trip’s first meeting, Upper School Principal Mrs. Wendy Morris announced that due to increasing crime in Honduras, the trip had been cancelled. This stunned the students that signed up for the trip because they believed their opportunity to fulfill God’s plan had been blocked.

Junior Evan Reyna was part of that group. He felt sad and defeated because he had hoped to practice his evangelistic skills, as well as participate in a ministry with kids. However, as the plans for the trip began to evolve, Evan found that God’s plan wasn’t blocked at all, but rather he had simply been taken down a different road.

Mrs. Morris replaced the trip with one to Northern England. There, trip members spent time with students from the ages of 11-15, discussing with them their different cultures, lifestyles and faiths. Each day, those on the trip stayed at the school from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., rotating from classroom to classroom.

Those on the trip were nervous and unsure about whether the kids would be receptive or apathetic to the message of Christ. Spanish teacher Mr. Jody Garcia, one of the chaperones, encouraged students to keep their spirits high. Evan said, “I feel like God literally spoke through Mr. Garcia to me many times throughout the week right after I had finished praying for encouragement. He would always give me the answers I was praying for during his morning pep talks in the school chapel, and through that I really felt like God encouraged me to continue to have an intentional prayer life in my reliance on Him.”

Throughout the week, relationships began to form, as the students at the school opened up more regarding their beliefs. On the last day at the school, team members spoke in front of over 300 students about various topics, from the importance of attending a youth group to their own testimonies.

Evan was one of the students chosen to share his testimony in front of all of the students. He said, “I was very nervous about sharing my testimony because I had never shared it before, and I have very little experience in speaking in front of large crowds. However, after I started, I feel that many people were able to relate to my story and the obstacles I had to overcome. I think that it opened them up to listening more intently to the message we were trying to communicate.”

On that Friday, the Minimester team put on a party at the local church for all the local students to attend. The most students that had ever attended one of the Friday night gatherings was three. The power of God was unmistakable as over 120 students attended.

Here, they hosted activities such as a nail salon, soccer game and a bouncy castle. Towards the end, Evan got the chance to share his testimony again. Numerous students in the crowd were moved and brought to tears, as their stories closely related to his. Although he was nervous, Evan was so thankful for the opportunity to share.

He said, “I think that God used those situations to encourage me to lean more heavily on Him rather than just relying on my own mental strength in such an uncomfortable situation. When speaking to a large crowd, I felt the most pressure, but by praying and asking for strength I was able to really feel comfortable.”

God spoke through that team in Northern England, and, although it was not Evan’s intended destination, it was God’s. Using his relatable testimony, Evan was able to easily connect with the students in a way he couldn’t have had he not been through those trials.

CADEN BURCHARD – SOUTHEAST ASIA

A new trip to Southeast Asia became an instant hit. Led by longtime Amazon trip director Mr. Mike Beeson, the opportunity to travel to a new part of the world for Christ overcame the potential risks involved.

Mr. Beeson felt God call him and the students there to minister to the unreached people in this remote area. Senior Caden Burchard said, “I feel like God was telling me to go to Southeast Asia when I found out which students were going. While I knew the risks involved, I knew that this group was one that would encourage me to push the boundaries of my comfort zone.”

During the journey, the team encountered many obstacles, from travel delays to unexpected riots. The first leg of their trip was to fly out of Dallas to Dubai, explore the city, stay overnight and fly out the next morning. However, a fairly drastic change of plans found them with an 18-hour layover in Dubai never leaving the airport. While this originally may have seemed untimely and inconvenient, the layover allowed the students to connect over card games and hacky sack.

On the third day of ministry, due to riots and safety concerns, a small group of students went to an unplanned village instead of the school they were scheduled to visit. Caden said, “We couldn’t go to the school we wanted to go to that day so the church leader we were with said to go to this other part of the city where the people have never heard of Jesus.”

They cleared a space in the center of the huts. Then, they went out into the village and invited kids to the space to talk and play. Parents came with the children, so it opened the door to minister to both young and old.

By the end of the event, over 300 kids and their parents were in the clearing, allowing the team to minister to hundreds. With the help of a translator, students reached the people through songs, stories and crafts, as the kids reacted well to the message.

“I thought the switch ended up being better because the kids that came actually wanted to attend. Typically, when they are required to go, it’s viewed as more of a chore for the kids so they are not as receptive. But, they weren’t required to because they weren’t in school, so we got to have authentic interactions with the kids and their parents,” said Caden.

Students serving during Minimester learned to expect the unexpected. Things are never exactly as they appear when God is there.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20