know when she hired Sarah

Saxon as a summer intern for

children’s ministry at First Baptist

Perry several years back that she

would eventually be following Sarah

to a remote area in Africa on a short-term

mission trip.

Sarah felt God calling her into

missionary service and committed to

a two-year term in the Journeyman

program of the Southern Baptist

Church. From the Journeyman job

postings available, Sarah chose

Niger, a sub-Saharan desert country

with no running water, no electricity,

and 100-120 degree weather. "When

I read the job request for relational

evangelism type work in Niger, I

just knew that was where God was

calling me to go," Sarah said.

Sarah served as a missionary in

Niger from 2006 until January 2008.

She spent much of her first six

months in the country learning the

native language, Fulfulde.

"A lot of our ministry in the

Sokoto Fulani tribe had been with

the chief, the chief’s brother, and the

men of the tribe. When we’d come

into the village, the men gathered

around us because the women had to

work pounding the millet and getting

water from the well. When the

men are not farming or herding, they

sit and make rope and hats. We

shared with them about Jesus. Even

though it was a Muslim country,

they were open to hear about Jesus,"

Sarah said.

Sarah felt God leading her to

provide a Vacation Bible School for

the children in the village and contacted

her former boss, Rhonda,

director of preschool and children’s

ministry at First Baptist Perry, with

the idea. A small mission group

from the church formed to take on

the challenge of bringing VBS to the

children of the Sokoto Fulani tribe.

From November 15-25, 2007,

Rhonda, Sarah’s parents, Jim and

Joann Saxon, Ashton Jones and

Chris Woodard, students at Perry

High School, journeyed to Niger.

Ashton, a senior at Perry High

School, told Rhonda of her desire to

go on this mission trip to Niger. "I

had always looked up to Sarah as a

role model and wanted to be a part

of the team. I was so

interested in going, but I

didn’t think my dad

would ever let me go. I

just asked and was so surprised

when my dad said

yes," Ashton said.

Chris, a junior at

Perry High School, has

wanted to become a missionary

since the eighth

grade. "When I heard

they were going on a mission

trip, I jumped on it. I

want to get as much experience

in the mission field

as I can. When I graduate

from high school, I want

to go into the seminary,

maybe Bethany College

of Missions. I feel like

that’s where the Lord is

calling me," Chris said.

Rhonda said that their

small group soon discovered

that time spent traveling

would be the hardest part of

the trip. "One of the biggest challenges

for us was the travel to

and from the village. The plane

flights –Atlanta to New York, NY to

Morocco, Morocco to Niamey –

took 16-1/2 hours. We spent the

night at Southern Baptist Compound

in Niamey to rest up for the next leg

of our journey, a 13-hour car drive.

We had two flat tires caused by all

the potholes on the road. We had to

keep our sense of humor because we

were packed in the car like sardines.

The air was not working, and it was

over 100 degrees," Rhonda said.

The group took tents into the

bush, set up camp, and stayed with

the villagers for three days and two

nights. Sarah and Jessica Busko, the

other Journeyman serving with

Sarah, served as interpreters for the

group.

"The people in the village were

so very welcoming. They came running

to our car and were so glad to

see us. They always wanted to be

around us and hear what we had to

say. They were there in the morning

when we woke up and they were

there until we went into our tents to

sleep at night. We had a lot of time

for sharing and relationship building"

Rhonda said.

The team held a three-day VBS

for the children using a curriculum

adapted by Rhonda.

"We shared Bible stories about

how God created each one of them

and that they are unique and special.

We explained how Jesus cares and

loves each one, and because of His

love for them, He sent His one and

only Son Jesus to die on the cross

for their sins. We shared the story of

salvation," Rhonda said.

"We held a morning session for

about an hour, then continued from

12 to 3 in the afternoon. We taught

using games, songs, and a Bible

story. We would draw in the sand to

reinforce an idea. The children really

enjoyed the games tying into the lesson.

They especially liked tug-ofwar.

We taught them how to jump

rope, too," Rhonda added.

"A lot of progress was made by

First Baptist Perry’s mission team.

They got to share the Jesus film. A

lot of kids were able to hear God’s

word for the first time," Sarah said.

"As we were lying down in our

tents at night, we could hear the

children singing the songs we had

taught them at VBS in the background.

For me it reflected how God

had been at work during our stay

and prayerfully that God’s work will

be carried on. It was also quite convicting

to witness the hunger that the

villagers had to hear the Gospel. In

America we take hearing God’s

Word for granted. I feel like God

wants us to go back to Niger. For

that to happen, God, as always, will

prepare the way financially,

spiritually, and physically."

"To me it’s all about ‘The Great

Commission’ found in Matthew

28:19-20: ‘Go ye therefore, and

teach all nations, baptizing them in

the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Teaching them to observe all things

that I have commanded you, and lo,

I am with you always, even unto the

end of the world,’" Rhonda said.

Ashton will never forget the

toughness of the children’s skin.

"Whenever the children would come

and grab my hand to hold, I was

amazed at how tough their little

hands were, and they were amazed

at how soft my hands were. The

things that toughened their skin were

the dry climate, the pounding of the

millet, and the hard work that they

had to do getting the water out of the

village well about a mile away from

the village. They work so hard,"

Ashton said.

Chris was touched when the

chief’s brother gave him a hug.

"When we were getting ready to

leave, the chief’s brother gave me a

bear hug and that was really special.

He had come and talked with me

sometimes," Chris said.

Sarah returned to the States richer

for her experiences in Niger.

"There’s a verse that God laid on my

heart while I was there. It’s from

Romans 1:16-17: "I am not ashamed

of the gospel, because it is the power

of God for the salvation of everyone

who believes: first for the Jew, then

for the Gentile. For in the gospel a

righteousness from God is revealed,

a righteousness that is by faith from

first to last, just as it is written: ‘The

righteous will live by faith,’" Sarah

said.

"For me going there, I really

wanted that verse that I would be

bold and not be ashamed. And as I

was there and would share with people,

I realized that if we share with

people, it’s not on us, it’s the power

of God for their salvation. It was a

real freeing verse for me. If I am

faithful to share, God will allow that

seed to grow. I am trying to keep

that same attitude while I am living

in America," Sarah added.

The mission group from Perry

First Baptist would welcome the

opportunity to share their experiences

with the community. They

have prepared an interesting

Powerpoint presentation of their trip

to Niger.

"Christians need to be in ministry

in Perry, in the US, and

throughout the world. I think people

need to have their eyes opened about

short term missions and hear the testimony

of how God is working in

the mission field. We don’t educate

enough about mission opportunities,"

Rhonda said.

To invite the mission team to

speak, call First Baptist Perry at

987-2002. The presenters will wear

the tribe’s local dress.