Pastor Benny Collins, Assistant Pastor of Outreach/Interim Youth Pastor
Last week, our team of 15 had the joy of serving alongside Path of Grace Church in Orange Walk, Belize. As we boarded planes in Nashville and Houston, we carried months of preparation, plans, supplies, and expectations. Yet we also knew that mission work always requires open hands and willing hearts. We could make our plans, but only the Lord knew all that He had prepared for the week. We arrived in Belize by faith, trusting that His work would be good, purposeful, and greater than anything we could have imagined.
From the moment we arrived, we were reminded of the kindness of God through His people. At the Belize airport, our team was greeted by three Thirst Missions staff members: Pastor Polin, Loila, and our bus driver, Leslie. These faithful servants remained by our side throughout the week, guiding us, caring for us, and helping with every need that arose. That evening, we reunited with Path of Grace for a welcoming service. The room was filled with families, children, smiles, hugs, and songs of worship. It was a beautiful reminder that the family of God stretches far beyond one town, one church, or one country.
On Sunday morning, we began Day 1 of Vacation Bible School. The road leading to the church was filled with children riding bikes, eager to participate—some bikes carried three children at a time! Each day was full of music, skits, teaching, crafts, snacks, laughter, and the steady joy of sharing Jesus with children. By the end of the week, more than 80 children were packed into the church. What a gift it was to watch them listen, sing, create, and hear again and again the good news of Jesus.
Our team also had the privilege of serving through practical projects around the church facility. Some helped paint the kitchen and the areas around newly installed sanctuary windows, which had been purchased and installed months earlier through the generous gifts of SVC members. We also purchased and installed new fans for the sanctuary and assisted with other projects around the church. These tasks may have seemed simple, but they were meaningful ways to encourage a church that is faithfully ministering in its community.
One of the most meaningful parts of the week was purchasing food and supplies to share with 15 homes in the community. These “blessing bags” gave us the opportunity to visit families, provide groceries and needed supplies, and pray with them in their homes. In those moments, we were reminded that ministry is often found in simple acts of love: a bag of food, a prayer offered, a listening ear, and the reminder that God sees and cares for each family.
Our team was greatly encouraged by the impact Path of Grace is having in Orange Walk. The church began about 10 years ago, meeting under a tent. Eventually, an abandoned church building was purchased, and renovations have continued as the Lord has provided. This past year, members of the church painted the exterior and completed major renovations in the kitchen. Path of Grace continues to invest in children, youth, and marriage ministry. The youth recently enjoyed a community-wide retreat, and the church also hosted a marriage conference. Again and again, we saw a church family seeking to be faithful with what God has placed in their hands.
Pastor Alex and the church leadership have a vision to see Path of Grace grow as a strong, healthy church for the good of the community and the glory of God. It was a blessing for our team to come alongside them by giving our time, our hands, our resources, and our financial gifts. Together, we helped host a joyful and energetic VBS, bless homes in the community, and complete projects that the church does not always have the resources to finish quickly.
Most importantly, many children and adults heard the good news of Jesus each day. Our team had the joy of serving, teaching, encouraging, and loving this church body and community. We are deeply thankful for the work the Lord did through us, but we are also thankful for the work He did in us. He increased our burden for the lost, deepened our compassion for the hurting and sick, and expanded our love for another church family that is faithfully striving to love and serve Him.
Thank you to the many people at SVC who gave financially and to those who lifted us up in prayer each day. Our team did not travel or serve alone; our SVC family went with us through your generosity, encouragement, and prayers. We are thankful for the support of our church family as we seek to obey the Great Commission and “go” on mission for the sake of the gospel and the church abroad. May the Lord continue to use Path of Grace, and may He continue to shape our hearts to love what He loves and go where He sends.
