The life changing power of mission trips often goes far beyond the physical work accomplished. This truth is beautifully illustrated in Sawyer’s journey from Bernie High School to the mission fields of Mexico and now onto his college adventure at Clemson University.
Sawyer’s story begins with an unexpected opportunity. Having missed the initial deadline for a mission trip to Mexico, he received a last-minute invitation when another participant had to withdraw. With just three days to prepare, Sawyer scrambled to find his nearly-expired passport and make arrangements. This story is exciting because Sawyer speaks Spanish, having participated in a dual-language program at Currington Elementary School from a young age. This seemingly ordinary part of his education became an extraordinary tool for ministry.
The first mission trip fundamentally altered Sawyer’s understanding of his faith. Though raised in church and baptized, he admitted that he hadn’t fully grasped the depth of his brokenness and need for God. In Mexico, surrounded by people who had far less materially but demonstrated profound joy and dependence on God, something shifted in his perspective. “I didn’t truly understand deep down how deeply I needed God,” he shared. “I knew all the words to say, I knew all the responses to every answer, but until I actually lived a life that was dependent on God, I didn’t understand what I needed to be doing in life.”
This realization is common among those who step outside their comfort zones and enter environments where control and self-sufficiency are stripped away. For Sawyer, an analytically-minded future engineering student, learning to depend on prayer rather than planning represented a paradigm shift. The team’s practice of “praying when something went right, praying when something went wrong” demonstrated a moment-by-moment dependence that challenged his independent nature.
When Sawyer returned for a second trip to Mexico, he experienced another powerful lesson in humility. Having been asked to share a message at a youth event, he felt God directing him to step aside and let someone else speak. Though initially resistant and prideful about his abilities, he later witnessed multiple young people commit their lives to Christ that evening. “It wasn’t just about Sawyer, he needs his heart checked,” he reflected. “It was like the Lord is going to move mightily and Sawyer needs to get out of the way.”
As Sawyer prepares for college, he carries these lessons with him. College campuses represent places where “the enemy runs rampant,” but also where Christian youth have unique opportunities to shine brightly. Though majoring in engineering, Sawyer remains open to ministry possibilities, understanding that professional work and ministry need not be separate paths.
What’s particularly striking about Sawyer’s story is how it demonstrates the “Bernie bubble” phenomenon many American Christians experience. Our affluence and comfort can blind us to our dependence on God and the needs of others. Mission trips provide opportunities to step outside these bubbles—whether they’re town-sized, state-sized, or nation-sized—and see what God is doing in the wider world.
For those considering mission work, Sawyer’s advice is simple yet profound: “If you are looking for a way to meet God in new ways, if you’re looking for a way to just truly understand why you believe what you believe, go to Mexico and go work for God.” The life changing power lies not primarily in the work accomplished but in the relationships formed and the practices engaged in – particularly prayer and dependence on God.
