Chile Mission Testimony: Drake Lewis

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

This summer, I was fortunate enough to join the ACF on a mission trip to Chile. I can tell you now that it was probably the best experience I have ever had in my life. Being able to serve God in another country and see a whole new culture left me in awe. I loved being there, I loved the people, and I loved the sights. But I didn’t see it like that before leaving. 

I struggled with a lot of things while in the preparation phase. There were some people who were really scared of me leaving the country. In turn, that made me afraid. I gave into the fear that something was going to happen, and I wasn’t going to come home. On the other hand, my fundraising wasn’t going well, either. I didn’t have nearly as many supporters as my leaders recommended me to have. During this time, I questioned if I was being called to go. What followed was a lot of anxiety and indecisiveness. I kept praying to God for an answer, and it seemed like he was silent. Until one day, I stumbled upon this verse in Esther. The phrase that stood out to me was, “Yet who knows whether you have come for such a time as this?” It was a very rhetorical question. It felt like an answer had just come crash landing in front of me. I knew that I was meant to go, even if there was a lot coming against me.

I still questioned the call, even after receiving the answer. But what followed was overwhelming support from my friends. They encouraged me and reassured me again and again. I’m still thankful for their patience. Eventually, the people that were afraid of me leaving started to support me and helped me financially. But, even after that, the money still wasn’t there. Then one day, while I was in the engineering building studying, I received a message from a youth pastor teaching at a church I volunteered at. She was going to send me a $1000 check for my mission. And if that wasn’t enough, my old mentor from that same church sent me another $1000 dollar check. Both said that God put it on their heart to do so. In two weeks, God had paved a clear way for me to go. I stopped questioning after that, and I went. I still remember how I felt on the plane ride. I especially remember the 20-minute layover in Bogota, Columbia. While stressful and nerve-wracking, I was excited to be traveling to another country for the first time.

During our time at El Oasis, a student ministry, we helped and met so many people. We helped lighten the load of the staff by assisting with cleaning and cooking. Our main purpose, however, was to meet the students and staff. Personally, I thought I would be horrible at it, and I was. But there were people that I met and was able to form a bond with. Through those bonds, I noticed that the struggles we face at home aren’t as unique as I thought. There are still a lot of anxiety and loneliness epidemics happening in Chile. The country’s political uncertainty combined with other social threats, such as COVID-19, hit Chile’s youth hard. However, there was still hope for them. We witnessed two people get baptized, and I was able to make friends just talking about Christ and different struggles that we overcame. In a country that spoke a completely different language from me, I was still able to feel the Spirit move and work. I felt at home while being a continent away from Louisiana. It was like what Mario, one of the members of El Oasis and a friend, said to me. “Wherever the Spirit is, it’s home.”  

There were a few moments of the trip that spoke to me personally. The first was looking around one of the events called La Ventana or “The Window.” I looked around the room and saw so much laughter and even more smiles. The only thought that came to mind was, “This is what healing feels like.”  The second moment was climbing a mountain. I remember getting above the smog of the city and seeing mountains and peaks all along the range. The sun was setting, making a warm tone and turning the clouds orange. Just a year before this moment, I was in one of the lowest points of my life. But in that moment, I saw how God brought me from that point to seeing the mountaintops. Even though it was a struggle to climb, it was worth seeing and being reminded of how good God is to us. The third moment was on the plane ride back. Saying goodbye to everyone and flying away left a bittersweet taste in my mouth. We met so many wonderful people, got to learn and share so much about Christ, and share the love of God. I was more reluctant to go home than I was to leave it. 

I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. It’s nothing short of a blessing that I was able to make so many wonderful memories with friends of faith.

Drake Lewis (middle left) is a sophomore from Lucky, LA majoring in Chemical Engineering. He enjoys tinkering with old cars and participating in sporting clays competitions. Since he entered our building last fall quarter, it has been such a joy to get to know him and to see him become more and more connected to the ACF community. He is also a member of this year’s Discipleship Team. We are excited to see the ways God will continue to move in his life!