DBU students present the gospel to children and youth in Spain

Jacob Stevens of Dallas Baptist University led worship and songs for the students at the Alfa y Omega school in Denia, Spain. (Photo/Brittni Bean)

image_pdfimage_print

DALLAS—A team from Dallas Baptist University spent their fall break in Spain, leading a Vacation Bible School-style program for students at the Alfa y Omega School in Denia.

Chris Holloway, director of global missions at DBU, led the 18 students and three staff as they worked with children and youth, ages 1 to 16.

Spain Shelby Weatherly 400Shelby Weatherly of Dallas Baptist University, pictured with a few of the students she taught during a week in Spain, saw God at work in the hearts of the Alfa y Omega students. (Photo/Brittni Bean)“Leading up to the trip, I was excited to see how my love for Hispanic culture would combine with my passion for Europe, but God did exceedingly more than I could have imagined,” said Shelby Weatherly, a junior.

Iglesia Evangelica Bautista La Trinitat, a Baptist church in Denia, founded Alfa y Omega, but the school includes students of a variety of religious backgrounds, including some from families that claim no religious affiliation.

“Many hearts were softened and seeds were planted during our time in Denia,” said Kylie Day, a senior.

The DBU team learned as much as they taught, some mission team members said.

“Every day was different, and every day the Lord taught us something new,” Weatherly said. “Whether it was learning from the teachers and pastors or sharing sweets and Bible stories with the children, the Lord used the people of Denia to show us his goodness.”

Spain Bailey Pylant 300Bailey Pylant, a student at Dallas Baptist University, enjoyed playing and building relationships with the students at the Alfa y Omega school during her time in Spain. (Photo/Brittni Bean)DBU students taught a different aspect of God’s character each day, and they used every character trait to present the gospel message differently. Through games, stories, lessons and conversations, the team engaged the students of Alfa y Omega.

“We brought a message of hope that is so familiar to us to children and teens who viewed the gospel as a very foreign idea,” said Jacob Stevens, a junior. “We saw the faithfulness of the Lord as he allowed the gospel to be proclaimed in so many different ways.”


Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays


Team members rejoiced in lives they saw changed.

“Without a doubt, the best part of the trip happened within my small group,” Day said. “One of my seventh-grade girls gave her life to Christ, and seeing that take place was just another evidence of how faithful God is.”

Spain Shelby Weatherly 250Shelby Weatherly of DBU sits with one of her students during story time. (Photo/Brittni Bean)God’s faithfulness was on display in many ways through the experience at Alfa y Omega, Holloway said.

“Alfa y Omega uses their platform to spearhead the proclamation of the gospel to the students involved in the school, which has been an answer to prayers that have been lifted by the church since 1914,” he said. “It was so encouraging to our team to see the faithfulness of God through this school, and we look forward to partnering with them in the future.”

Team members agreed, and some hope to be involved again personally.

“It is evident that the Lord is at work in the lives of these students,” Weatherly said. “While this was my fifth time out of the country, it is the first time that I seriously considered asking my trip leader if I could stay. Lord willing, I look forward to returning to see his work continued in Denia, but for now, I will wait and I will pray.”


We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.

Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.

More from Baptist Standard