THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408100143
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Religion
SOURCE: BY TRUDY CUTHRELL, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: FRANKLIN LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
A 2 1/2-MILE HIKE through the jungle in West Africa at night was a hair-raising experience for Merita Barrett and Timothy Dawson.
But with Timothy acting as trail blazer with a flashlight in his right hand and Merita clamping a death-grip on his left arm, the duo reached their destination at a small village church on the outskirts of Tema in Ghana, Africa.
Their bravery was rewarded when the two youths spotted a straw shelter packed with natives eagerly awaiting their message about the Christian faith.
Merita and Timothy, both 16, are active members of New Life Church in Franklin. Their recent jungle trek was part of a 22-day mission trip sponsored by Youth With A Mission, a Christian missionary organization.
While in Ghana, the teens participated in youth-led crusades, presented dramas and skits about their Christian beliefs, and conducted a youth rally for local village children.
``Being able to minister to the kids and just seeing how joyful they are was my favorite part of the trip,'' Merita said. ``They'd never seen black teen missionaries before, either.''
Before heading to Africa, the two Franklin teens raised $2,500 each to underwrite their mission venture. The money came from fund-raisers, pledges and the contributions of family and church friends.
On July 5, Merita, Timothy and nine other young people from the New Life Church in Newport News left Hampton Roads for a week of intensive preparation and training at Elim Bible Institute in upstate New York.
On the closing night of the conference, the 1994 Teen World Outreach Commissioning Service ordained 230 young people from throughout the United States for short-term mission service in 23 countries around the world.
On July 11, Merita and Timothy and their Ghana-bound teammates began a 14-hour transatlantic flight from New York City to the west coast of Africa. Then they traveled to the YWAM base in Tema.
``I'll be forever changed in the way I see things,'' Timothy said of the trip. ``Now I see things from a whole new angle.''
While in Africa, the two had to face many obstacles head-on. Poverty and ignorance were widespread.
``And the food took a lot of getting used to,'' Merita said. ``It was rice and fish every meal. But we were blessed with a stove and refrigerator where we stayed, so we cooked bread and butter every morning.''
The Franklin teens' pastor, the Rev. William Saunders, said he hopes to see such mission involvement become an annual event for his congregation.
``I think heaven's recorded the fact that we saw a people and a country in need and we sent our own to help them,'' Saunders said. ``God will never forget our labor of love.''
After the trip, Merita and Timothy said, they'll never be the same again.
``During our visit, they (Ghana natives) really became attached to us, and they hated to see us leave,'' Merita said. ``I also grew closer to God through this experience, and I feel I've changed for the better in many ways.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Timothy Dawson, above left, with Cory Delaney of Newport News, and,
at right, Merita Barrett hiked through the jungle in Ghana, Africa,
to share their beliefs with the villagers in Tema. With them are
village children.
by CNB