Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Diary depicts Heritage youths’ true ‘flavors’

Last April, 31 members of Heritage Christian Church’s youth group made a mission trip to Mexico. Steve Geyer, one of the adults who accompanied the group, kept a daily diary-travelogue of the group’s activities and his feelings on the events which happened during the trip. Geyer submitted the diary to The Citizen, and calls it “31 Flavors.” It is presented here in its entirety. Geyer writes:

“Baskin Robbins has figured it out ... Hillary Clinton almost got it ... and the Bible is the basis for it. It takes a body (not a village) ... a body made up of different parts, but still one body as recorded in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church.

“Sunday, April 18, 2004, 12:30 p.m. - Thirty-one different personalities, backgrounds, interests, and tastes gathered in the youth building at Heritage Christian Church to begin team training for a trip to Reynosa, Mexico. The first order of business was for each person to tell their most embarrassing moment. Next came time for those hearing their story to give each story teller a nickname. After a name was chosen, a bracelet was fashioned and that name followed them until the end of the trip ... and then some.

“ACHOO, Booty, Buttah, Chunks, Crash, D-Q, Deuce, Dude, Einstein, Flash, Flick, Fresh, Ice Cube, Le Pew, Mom, Pansy, Peek-a-boo, Puddles, SAY-WAH, Shredder, Shrimpy, Skid, Slick, Splash, Spot, Stitch, Sunshine, Thud, Valet, Wizz, and Ziggy — 31 different flavors in all and all acted as one. This is the team that Heritage was sending to Mexico to build houses for two families, build faith into the lives of little ones and build character in themselves.

“Saturday, June 12, 10 a.m. - Thirty-one team members (with brand new nicknames) assembled to board a bus that would take them on a 17-hour ride to a culture they knew almost nothing about. Some were anxious, others excited, some unsure of why they were going, and even those who were more than a little afraid.

“Less than 48 hours later, all were in one accord.

“Monday June 14, 9 a.m. - As they stepped off the school buses (that were a far cry from the charter buses that brought them to Texas) these 31 different flavors stepped onto Mexican soil that only weeks earlier was covered with human waste and garbage due to a rain storm. Now dry and parched, but ever imprinted with the stench of the filth that once covered it, this Mexican soil held a surprise for this group of adventurers. They fell in love.

“First John 3:17 says that, ‘If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in them?’

“Thirty-one distinct and wonderful flavors loved and loved well. Some who never held a hammer in their lives took home a collection of blisters. Others who had never held a child did so until their arms ached from endless hours of embracing needy children.

“A pastor (whom the 31 met at VBS) had seen to it that over 100 people in his Colonia received housing, yet he and his wife slept on the floor of the storage room in the back of their church.

“All that stood in the way for Pastor Valente Sobrevilla to purchase land for a home was $1,500. It took them over four years, but he and his wife had saved $3,500 of the $5,000 needed to obtain the land. The 31 came up with $1200 in less time than it takes to get a Frosty from a Wendy’s drive through. The remaining amount was raised by four other youth groups that were in Mexico with Heritage.

“Some students didn’t buy souvenirs, others did not buy junk food or other luxuries; instead, they spent it on a shepherd who loves his sheep.

“One of the 31 went shopping. He spent nearly $700 at Wal-Mart — $700 and not an item for himself! That $700 provided two families with shoes, cooking utensils, towels, rugs, storage containers, toys, plates, flatware, diapers, knives, brooms, mops, and many other items too numerous to name.

“One of the 31 brought a fan for her to keep cool in the 101 degree heat. She gave her battery-operated wonder to a family whose home had no shade.

“After a hard day’s work roofing the houses, the 31 went shopping in the open air markets of Progresso, Mexico. One of the 31 saw a woman selling packages of gum on the busy streets to provide food for her family. Many tourists stepped over her to continue looking for the perfect souvenir. This member of the 31 waited until (he thought) no one was looking and gave this haggard woman a twenty dollar bill.

“Another member of the 31 saw this out of the corner of her eye and was impacted by his¼ giving his ‘spending money’ to one in need. She kept this to herself until she shared with the team what she saw as a ‘God Sighting.’ Indeed it was. She saw Jesus in the giver and the one receiving the gift. ‘In as much as you have done for the least of these, you have done it unto me.’ Matthew 25:40.

“One of the 31 took off her shoes to give to someone who had none.

One of the 31 ran himself silly playing with two little boys who enjoyed this gentle giant run with them on his shoulders.

Several of the 31 painted visors, made necklaces and bracelets while sitting on the dirty ground with many cherub faces beaming up at them.

Many of the 31 sat in a small Mexican church that was as hot and humid as Georgia in August with at least two children in their laps. It was hot and sticky, but not one of these 31 denied a child a safe and loving lap to cuddle up in.

“All 31 sat in a room nightly while students from the other churches enjoyed free time and all the sugary treats the ‘Cantina’ had to offer. These 31 sat and listened to stories of students (and adults) from other groups so that they could get a nickname and bracelet too! This amazing 31 served the impoverished Mexican Colonia by day and their fellow campers at night. They served even when it wasn’t fun anymore ... and when no one was looking.

“Friday, June 18, 10 p.m. - Thirty-one tired and emotionally spent people boarded a charter bus that would bring them home — a home that had not changed while they were away, but they would return forever changed. Some would be more grateful for what they have, where they live, or maybe just because they got to serve Jesus in a way that will impact them forever.

“Saturday, June 19, 6 p.m. - Thirty-one even more tired and emotionally spent people stepped off a bus into culture shock. They had gotten used to living in Mexico and realized how much extra stuff we have that we really don’t need ... or even want.

“Some will return to Mexico, some may even spend a large part of their lives there. All of them will hold Mexico in their hearts and will one day be reunited with those they served in their Father’s house.

“I know this all sounds made up and too good to be true. I did not hear about the adventures of the 31 from someone else. Nor did I hear it from a friend of a friend who heard about the 31. I was there and I saw it for myself.

“If you don’t believe me, just ask Squirt or Streak... they saw it too.”