Forty-two young people, including 10 adults, traveled to Africa for Heritage Missions 2005. The following highlights some accomplishments during the three-week trip.

Youth preached to 3,000 people at the Nairobi New Life Adventist Church, where many participated in a Global Evangelism baptism of 1,000. The group preached nightly at the Changamwe Adventist Church to more than 500 students—many of them non-Adventists—and also at the Mombasa Polytechnic Institute to more than 100 students. On the first Sabbath, 45 youth made decisions for baptism.

The group donated clothing and $100 for the children of the Bamburi orphanage in Mombasa and distributed clothing to 2,000 residents of the Bangladeshi slums in Mombasa. In the Kibera slums of Nairobi, the group gave clothing to 75 HIV families and left clothing for another 2,000 to 3,000 people. At the Narok Adventist School, youth gave $1,500 for salaries of the teachers, who had not been paid for six months, and donated $300 worth of school uniforms and supplies for 120 students.

The group prayed with 85 HIV-positive women who had been isolated from their communities and churches and left $100 to help them get home and buy food. The final Sabbath, the youth preached to nearly 5,000 at the Kibera Adventist Church. Many asked for baptism.

Shanice Aiken of the Normandie Avenue church shared how the trip affected her personal spiritual experience. "During Heritage Missions 2005, I asked myself, 'How am I going to help change people’s lives; what do I have to offer them?'" she said.

"God truly answered those questions," Aiken continued. "After we were off the bus, an 8-year-old girl was by my side, holding my hand. Ten minutes later, she ran off. Minutes later, a girl walked over and grabbed my hand. I didn’t realize it at first, but it was the same girl. Then I realized what the girl had done. She had changed into a green dress—because I was wearing one! She didn’t know my name, yet she already wanted to be just like me.

"That is when I realized that God was answering my questions. I could help change people’s lives by displaying the love of Christ and by offering the love and affection that only comes from a friend. I never would have guessed that just being the normal, friendly person I am would make me a witness for the Lord."

"I had the opportunity of traveling with my son and nephew who were part of the HM team," said Ira Barksdale, associate treasurer of the Southern California Association. "When we arrived in Kenya, I became immediately aware of the disparity between the rich and poor. The general populace of the indigenous people of the country live in eight- by 10-foot shanties in the slums. Despite living conditions, the Adventist Church is alive and well in Kenya. We worshipped in packed churches. At Mungaza church, they put up pavilions with speakers outside so that the community driving by stopped and listened to the services."

Nearly 50 people made decisions for Jesus as the team went about its ministry of evangelism. For more information, visit www.heritagemissions.org.