This summer, I had an amazing opportunity to go on a mission trip to Iceland for ten days. My church, Morningside Baptist, flew over to help First Baptist Church, pastored by Patrick Wiemer and his son. During that time we worked on several projects and canvassed the community.
Iceland is a proud, cold country where the sun never sets, and 65 degrees with strong winds is considered “a beautiful day.” With a population of around 300,000, anything with more than 100 views has gone viral, and there are usually more tourists than locals on the island. Fyrsta Baptista Kirkjan (First Baptist Church) has about 25 people who come regularly and a large kids ministry. Kellis Cofer said, “I loved being with the Icelandic church because of their love for each other. There are not many Christians in Iceland, so all the Christian fellowship these people have is with this small church family. Their compassion for each other and for our team was infectious.” While we were there, all of the church people welcomed us and even served us food even though they didn’t have much financially. We all felt so blessed.
Everybody worked really hard on this trip, and we accomplished much more than Pastor Patrick hoped we would. Outside, we repainted their parking lot and outdoor playground, weeded their back lawn, repainted the windows and door frames, and constructed a gravel bed that circled the church. One of the biggest indoor projects was emptying out their attic storage so insulation could be installed. Other tasks they had us do included mopping and sweeping, assembling a closet from scratch, and organizing a curriculum for the Christian school Mrs. Wiemer is trying to start.
We also had tons of fun with an awesome beach 5 minutes away and several gorgeous waterfalls. Tessa Crockett shared her experience of going to the beach: “I enjoyed going to the beach with a small group of girls and walking, talking, and collecting shells for about an hour. It was a really special time for us to bond, and it was a moment that I will definitely remember.”
One thing this trip really emphasized for me spiritually was how amazing the body of Christ is. God has worked literally since the dawn of time to ensure that everyone, no matter what language they speak or what ethnicity they are, has a place in Him. We are here, in Greenville, worshiping the same God they are in Iceland and everywhere else.
I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to Iceland, not just because of the setting or the friends I went with, but because I could rejoice among Icelandic believers in the unity we share in Christ. We as believers are called to reflect Christ’s love into the world. If Icelandic and American Christians can be unified while living 3,000 miles apart and speaking different languages, this student body can as well.
