By Janice Richardson,
Contributing Writer
Confident and wise beyond his years, Antonio has ventured off into a new chapter of his life. Having just graduated from high school in June 2016, he traveled to Spain in January taking a 10-week Bible study course. Since his family is from Spain, he is staying with relatives. He then has ambitious plans to go to university taking political science and then law.
Antonio grew up in a Christian home and is the oldest of four siblings. He loves the outdoors and many activities that take him there—including hiking, cycling and soccer. He also loves travelling and already has been to many countries. This perhaps has been passed down by his mom, who was a missionary.
Antonio has not always been this confident and clear on his future path. In fact, while in high school, he struggled at first, letting the influence of other kids pull him away from God. A strong youth group and three mission trips helped change that for him.
The first trip was in the summer of 2012 to Vancouver. He went with a group from CSC and worked in a variety of ministries. Antonio feels that he “lucked out” because he got to spend a lot of time visiting with seniors and listening to their stories. He feels that we can learn a lot from their wisdom and experience. What he got out of this mission trip was the opposite of what he anticipated. He thought he was going to help others (which he did), but he said the biggest impact was the fellowship he experienced with the other youth and people on the trip. He gained a group of Christian friends with whom he was better able to connect.
In 2014, he went to San Diego. This mission trip taught him a lot about the importance of a Christian community surrounding an individual. It was a really great opportunity to learn to work with people of different personalities and different conditions.
Antonio changed his friend group to people who have a positive impact on him. He attends the Youth group from the NW Campus on a regular basis. The leadership is great and the group has been quite impactful to him.
His third mission trip was to Trinidad in 2015 and had an even bigger impact on him, but not in the way he expected. A lot of his friends went on this trip. They did a variety of things: painted a house, led Vacation Bible School to a variety of groups, and handed out shoeboxes with Samaritan’s Purse. He loved the more laid-back culture. Throughout the trip, Antonio could see some of his friends experiencing surreal spiritual moments—moments that Antonio did not. This hit him hard and broke his heart. It made him realize that he was really missing out and that he was not putting in the effort to have a relationship with God like he should be. Seeing what others experienced motivated him to grow closer to God.
Antonio started getting into scripture and praying on a daily basis. He tries to journal as much as he can. He has come to enjoy this time with God so much that he feels something is missing in the day if he does not do it.
“It is almost like someone who is addicted to caffeine going without their coffee in the morning. You feel like you really need it.”
Antonio feels that his improved relationship with God has helped give him confidence and be more self-assured. He says that the teenage years are a time of trying to find out who you are and what you believe. Many teenagers are very focused on themselves in their pursuit to discover who they are. His relationship with God has helped him to concentrate on helping others instead of focusing on himself.
“Following God could be one of the most important decisions a person can make. Life can still be tough but it is a life to embrace; and once you commit to following God, it is worth it.”
Antonio believes that everyone should go on a mission trip. He recommends that that they jump in and not have specific expectations of what they would like to get out of the trip.
“Be open to whatever God may have for you. Many people go thinking they will be helping others, but a big part of it changes you.”
Going forward, Antonio hopes to be a leader. He feels that this is a gift that comes to him naturally. With the goal of obtaining a degree in Political Science and Law, he would love to become a world leader some day and have an impact on others’ lives. His ultimate goal is to change people’s lives for God.