BELMOPAN, Belize — I never dreamed that I would perform my first baptisms in the Caribbean Sea. Nor did I imagine that a mission trip to Belize to work with children would offer such an opportunity. But that’s exactly what God had in mind.
Cheri Wise prepares to baptize Gregory, a night guard in Belize who professed faith in Christ after witnessing baptisms taking place in the Caribbean Sea.
|
Baptist Collegiate Ministries at Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College traditionally take a winter break mission trip. This past December, right after Christmas, 18 of us headed out to do sports ministry in the beautiful country of Belize.
We visited orphanages, a juvenile detention center and several parks where we gathered crowds and played soccer. We even went out to San Pedro Island to play pick-up soccer and do beach ministry. That’s where God surprised me in a truly amazing way.
While riding the water taxi out to the island, several students asked if I would baptize them. One was a fairly new Christian who had never been baptized. Two had only been baptized as babies, and two were baptized a number of years ago without really understanding what it meant. I was awestruck and honored to be part of such a special time of rededication for these students.
Of course I hardly slept the night before, rehearsing what I would say and asking God to make it sacred and memorable. Little did I know how God would answer that prayer!
Students from Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College pray on the beach in Belize before their campus minister begins a baptism service in the ocean.
|
The next morning dawned bright and clear. We all trooped down to the beach at 7 a.m. and began our celebration with a moment of worship on the sand. When the time came to enter the water, I didn’t even feel the cold. The students all shivered, but apparently God shielded me from that distraction. He also provided me with strength to baptize students who were considerably larger than myself. What an amazing morning! But wait—the best is yet to come.
As I emerged from the water, I was told there was a man who wanted to be baptized, too. That’s when I met Gregory, a Belizean night guard who was returning home on his bike when he saw our baptism service and came over to watch. He had been touched by the witness of these students and said he needed to get his life straight with God.
Initially I was reluctant to baptize him, because I didn’t know where he was spiritually. So I purposefully asked him some tough, pointed questions. He was emotional as he explained the mess he had made of his life and his need for God. I quickly learned that he had been to church in his younger days but never prayed to ask Jesus Christ into his life. I will never forget Gregory’s honest and heartfelt words to God as he voiced his own prayer of salvation on that beach. Neither will I forget his words of testimony after we entered the water together.
Following his baptism, Gregory literally beamed and raised one fist in victory. The students on shore cheered, but I’m not sure he even heard that. I barely did myself as I marveled at the providence of God and thanked him for the privilege of participating in his wonderful surprises.
Who would have guessed that an ordinary BCM mission trip could etch such indelible memories in my mind. The Scripture proclaiming that God is able to do more than we can ask or even imagine certainly became more real to me that day. Praise God that he will never cease to amaze us!
Cheri Wise is Baptist collegiate minister at Longwood University.