August 20, 2001

COURTNEY MCCULLOUGH (left) of Stephen F. Austin University sings with children at Washington Baptist Church in Washington, Vt.

Home missions reaches far away, students learn
___By John Hall
___Staff Writer
___Home missions and foreign missions merged for some of the Texas Baptist student missionaries assigned to stateside posts this summer.
___"Los Angeles is an intriguing city, painted with cultures of many kinds," said Leslie

STEVE INNSKEEP (far left) of the University of Houston teaches sign language at Eagle Wings Youth Ranch in New Mexico.

Schwalk, one of 60 student summer missionaries sent out by the Baptist General Convention of Texas to work in the United States and Canada. "Honestly, I feel like I have moved to a new country, with all the signs in different languages and neighbors that scream things I certainly can't understand."
___The majority of students assigned to North American posts, like Schwalk, a spring graduate of Wayland Baptist University, worked 10-week terms. They served in 13 states. Shorter-term impact mission teams and longer-term semester missionaries also were involved in numerous types of ministry, including youth camps, inner-city ministry, revivals and working with internationals.
___Some, like Schwalk, soon discovered that their "home" missions work would have far-reaching impact.?
___"There are thousands of people overseas who have little to no access to the good news of Christ," she said. "Of these unreached groups, many of their future leaders travel to the United States for schooling, desiring to gain knowledge to take back and better their

MATT JORDAN of Southwest Texas State University helps a new convert into a lake baptistry in New York.

country. I say 'What a divine opportunity from God!' We can share Jesus with them so they can go back and really save their countries."
___The Texas missionaries reported developing strong relationships with the people around them, which sometimes made their work more difficult.
___"My request is for wisdom and sensitivity to God's timing for us to share with them," wrote Schwalk, who taught internationals English at the University of Southern California. "We enjoy our time but often feel anxious for them to know the truth, because we care so much already. Pray that when his timing comes, it would be his words spoken. The gospel is such a mystery to them."
___While North American missionaries did not face government restrictions as their

KENT BORING of Stephen F. Austin poses with two children involved in Baptist ministries in Mother Lode Baptist Association in California.

foreign counterparts may have, they faced challenges nonetheless, a member of an Indiana revival team said.
___"I have been seeing the weakness of many of the local churches," said Jonathan Norvell, a Baylor University student. "I don't speak at all of their numbers, but of their desire. Many people seem content to let the world pass by them, lost and condemned, without raising their voice to tell of the cure or the coming wrath."
___Several missionaries said they understood the challenges they faced also were opportunities to spread the word of God by overcoming trials in a Christian manner. ??
___"Things get better by the day, and God is working," said Jennifer Maclin, who worked with high-risk youth in New Mexico. "Now I also know Satan is working overtime with a death of one of our boys in the youth group at the church, and camp is exactly what these kids need. I love being with these kids to show God's love."
___Maclin not only cherished her summer missions experience, the Stephen F. Austin University student said she felt it was a necessary step in her Christian journey.
___"I do not think I could become the woman God wants me to be without being here this summer. Every aspect in my life is changing with new revelations. And he is also reiterating my future life in sign language missions. I am so excited about the future and even going back to Stephen F. Austin to learn more sign language for God."

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