Youth Testimonies

Dehkontee Reeves

My name is Dehkontee Reeves,

My first mission trip I went on with Bluebonnet Ministries at West Houston was in my freshman year of high school to Nicaragua. I had heard so many interesting and moving stories from my father and other missionaries who had gone before me which led to my decision to go. After completing my first trip my love for mission work and helping people grew. On these trips you get the opportunity to lead out with daily worship, communicate and work with others on your team which in some ways helps to develop leadership and team work skills. I went on to attend 6 more mission trips after that.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to go on those mission trips because it helped to shape my worldview on missions and serving others. After helping on the VBS and Medical Team, I knew that I wanted to pursue a degree in the medical field. There was just something about serving others that gave me satisfaction.

I would encourage you if you have not already done so to donate to this worthy cause to help youth and young adults to not only use their talents but also have an opportunity to share the love of Christ with others.

Aaron Huerta

My name is Aaron Huerta, and this is how Bluebonnet Missionary Ministries has impacted my life. I have attended seven youth trips. I started attending these trips at the age of 15. My first youth trip changed my life forever, it's something you really have to experience firsthand to literally encounter God at work. He does the impossible in each ministry (VBS, medical/dental, and construction) that we bring to the communities in need. I have participated in each ministry and have been blessed tremendously, regardless of which one I choose to serve. Honestly, if it wasn’t for these trips, I don't know where I'd be today. The reason I've gone on seven trips and plan on continuing to attend more in the future is because of how they positively impact all aspects of my life. Through attending these trips, I've formed incredibly strong bonds with everyone who attends the trips, it feels like becoming part of a family. When I left for my first mission trip, I left with just my brother and two friends and came back with like 20 new friends who are still, to this day, my family. I believe these trips have given me a love for serving that wasn't there previously. Seeing firsthand how much good you can do for a community always leaves me ten times more blessed than the people we come to help and serve. My spiritual life is the area that has been impacted the most. I feel God's presence every time working in me and everyone around me. Being able to escape from reality, disconnect from the world, and reconnect to the creator led me to decide to get baptized in 2017. I struggled attending church, being involved, serving, and even doubting God's existence prior to attending a youth trip, but as I said previously, it changed my life forever. This is the reason donors should support others like myself; the younger generation needs God now more than ever. It's because of the donors who supported us in the past that allowed my family to send me on my first youth trip. I wish I could thank all the donors who've made it possible for me to see God at work the way I have on these youth trips. 

These youth trips have completely changed the way I see the world; it's given me a new set of lenses to see out of. My worldview was completely changed after my first trip. I came back home so grateful and humbled because I realized just how blessed I truly am. It's given me a new definition of luxury. We are going to these places that don't have clean water, poor healthcare, no place of worship, no hot water, no AC, etc. It's truly humbling because I took all those things for granted. I came home feeling so thankful just to take a hot shower and enjoy the air conditioning. Having all these things on a daily basis is a luxury. I think people are so unhappy today because they can’t see the blessings of everyday life; it's taken for granted, and people focus on what they don't have instead of what they do have. This new worldview was attained after going on my first trip, and I'm forever grateful for that experience. I never had a desire to serve until I attended a youth trip. I can't even explain the feeling you get after a trip. It's the most fulfilling thing I've experienced. In VBS, just being able to spend time with the kids, see them smile, and come to church at the end of the week makes my heart feel so fulfilled, knowing we positively impacted the kids. Medical was even more eye-opening for me, just being able to help out people who don’t have access to healthcare like us in the United States. I was one of the few Spanish speakers on one of the trips for medical, talking to them one-on-one and hearing what they were hurting from, which kind of put into perspective just how blessed we are. It made me want to continue serving because I realized I have nothing to complain about when there are people who are in need and hurting, yet at the same time, arguably even happier than us who are "blessed.” Lastly, the ministry that I've served the most in is construction. This is where I've seen God at work firsthand. The work we are doing is humanly impossible, but like the scripture says, "With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) I've seen time after time how our group of youth and inexperienced people come to the job site without ever picking up a block and using the tools to then go on to create a church in less than seven days. It's humanly impossible; I am not a very physically strong person. On one of my trips, I acquired the nickname “princess baby arms” from not being able to lay block to then having to step up and lay block because my partner needed me to take over. I'll never forget this moment. Mind you, I have a history of not being able to lay block, but this time I turned around and prayed to God. I said, "Lord, please give me the strength to do this for you; use me to build this church.” Then God answered my prayer immediately. The blocks became weightless, and I was able to finish the wall assigned to my partner and me. God used those who were willing and made us able.

Sarah Reyes

I started going on mission trips with West Houston when I was 15 years old, on the very first youth trip they did in 2012. It made such an impact on me that I continued to go each year until I was 21. Each trip taught me something about myself, a new culture, how to serve others, and how love is a language. I worked in construction, vacation bible school, and the medical team during those years because I wanted to serve in all areas. Construction site showed me the value of hard work and a sense of accomplishment seeing the result of it. VBS showed me that children are powerful and how friendships can be formed even with differences in language. Medical team showed me how to serve others and the importance of health care. One year I was able to go on a trip due to a sponsor and it was the first time I traveled without my family. It was scary but I was grateful for the experience and it helped me learn some independence. These trips were a wonderful time in my life that I look back at fondly because I got to help others during a time I wasn’t sure what I had to offer. The youth have a voice and are able to do more than we tend to give them credit for. These trips taught me that and I hope they continue to do so for more generations to come. I recommend anyone considering going on a trip or to sponsor a youth for a trip to do so because it makes such an impact on those involved. It is a life changing experience that I hope anyone who wants will get to experience at least once!

Destiny Amy-Penney

I have been on 4 mission trips.

1. Nicaragua 2012
2. Dominican Republic 2013
3. Panama 2015
4. Guyana 2017

From going on mission trips, my heart and mind have been opened to the will of God. Being on these trips has helped me better understand why I exist on this earth and are a reminder of how I am supposed to live everyday of my life: with a loving heart and serving hands. These trips have increased my faith have and taught me to rely on the Lord instead of trusting in my own abilities. By simply being willing and present I have been able to take part in God’s work and see His abundant blessings in my life and the lives of countless others. I look forward to my next opportunity to go out and share God’s love with the world.

Brienna Conner

This year has been a hard one for me, personally. I moved across the country to continue my education, away from my family and my home church, and away from everything that I know. Coming back this summer, I was nervous that everything at home would have changed.  The one and only thing I knew had not changed was that I was going on the mission trip. This is my fourth trip so far, and every single time it has been both the spiritual and mental highlight of my summer. This trip was no different.

This year’s worship theme was Faith in Action. My faith this year was tested- by construction. Oh my goodness. I was supposed to switch to VBS this year, but decided to stay in construction. For some unknown reason, (definitely the ice cream) I stayed in construction. 

The work is hard- it’s difficult, it’s tedious, it’s absolutely exhausting. But it’s SO gratifying to realize, at the end of the week, when the walls are up and you’re sitting on top of the scaffolding, watching the others put the roof on a FINISHED building, that you have done something that is going to absolutely change someone’s life for the better.

Knowing that God placed us there to change people’s lives and to spread His word makes what we did even more important. We don’t just do hard work for nothing— what we do changes lives. It’s not just about building a church, or getting a good workout in, or spending time with friends and family. It’s about service, about God’s work and intentions for his people. To be able to witness such an impact was such a blessing, and I will definitely be back to continue the work.