Home
St. Croix Missions Trip 2024
Mr. Dunnink, along with a few students, share their reflections on the recent St. Croix Missions Trip over March Break.
"Our trip to St. Croix during March Break was amazing! Besides being on a warm, tropical island, I have three highlights during this trip. First, I really loved our group. Even though our students were in grades 9-12, everyone got along really well and we formed close bonds with each other. The harmony and unity we experienced together was a real blessing. Secondly, I really enjoyed getting to experience the culture of St. Croix. The people there are so friendly and easygoing and we made friends everywhere we went. It was also great to travel around the island and soak in all the amazing sights. Lastly, the joy and peace I experienced while serving at YWAM was the best part of the trip. Knowing that you're serving God with your gifts and talents in tangible and meaningful ways is really rewarding. In many ways, this trip was life changing in terms of growing closer to God and developing my faith. In short, the mission trip to St. Croix was one of the best experiences I've had and I would highly recommend that everyone goes on a mission trip at least once in their life!" - Mr. Dunnink
"My Experience on this year's missions trip was wonderful. This was my very first time experiencing something like this, all the way from flying on an airplane for the first time to being able to spread the word of God in the most creative ways. This trip allowed me to become so much closer with God, my friends and try things out of my comfort zone. One of my highlights was connecting with kids of all ages on the island of St. Croix. It was amazing to be able to see so many smiling and welcoming people and just to have fun with them. Another highlight was the church service that we got to go to twice during the trip. It was unlike any church service I've been to before and by far one of my favourites. From the message, to the worship and how open everyone was to letting us visit their church, it was incredible. Lastly, I would say just the amazing things I got to see. I had never seen the ocean until the trip and let me tell you it was the most unreal thing I've ever seen. It really let me appreciate God's creation and how unbelievably beautiful it is. I had so much fun on this trip and I would love to experience this again. I'm very thankful for God and the amazing people who set this up and allowed for such a wonderful experience on this year’s missions trip." - Ariya S.
"The trip was incredible, that's the only way I can put it. One highlight is seeing God use our team’s love for sports to connect with others. We went to a housing project called Paradise Mills and I loved getting to play soccer and football with the kids and then through that learning about their lives, both the good and bad. I played football for an hour with one kid; he was ten years old and it was just so clear that all these kids wanted was a friend. I also loved getting to see all the group members use their individual gifts from God to help. I don't know if we made a big or small difference, that's up to God, but I do know that this trip impacted me. I realized through the sermons, kids and people on the base that if God really is supposed to be the center of our lives then why don’t we treat Him like it? Why are we not bursting with this urge to share Him with every person we meet? I understand the importance of the devotions and the prayer in bringing me closer to God; we need to be so close to Him that we radiate just a little bit of Him." - Finn C.
"It’s amazing how things always come together. When my fears about how the mission trip began to grow, who would've thought that the Lord had a different plan in store for me? It shows that sometimes, we are surprised by the unexpected. Unlike everyone on the trip, sports wasn’t a strong suit of mine. But that didn’t stop me persisting and opening my heart to let God show me how he wanted to use me throughout the ten days, and he did not disappoint. My favourite experience from the trip was the three days we spent with the children of Paradise Mills and the two Friday nights of youth group. From monkey bars and colouring animals to playing various games, I found it easy to connect on a deeper level with the youth and spread overall love with them. My experience on the mission trip to St. Croix was life-changing, and I will never forget this opportunity that I was given to spend time with the fantastic people at YWAM. Thank you so much!" - Fola O.
"Going into this trip, I was excited to experience new cultures and experience God for myself. I came into this trip with a mindset of getting something, not giving. I quickly realized early on the trip that if I wanted to make an impact, I needed to give. I saw so many sights and wonders, from the most Eastern point of the United States to the beautiful beach views of Buck Island. I tasted so many good foods and spent quality time with friends. St. Croix was an island of opportunity, with many medicinal herbs and liquids and many different animals. But the most intriguing part was talking to the people. As I talked and listened to different people, I realized they all have many problems, some much deeper than expected. For example, our team worked with homeschooled kids. I was talking to a kid named Neville, who didn't want to play the games. He bragged about how he had a million friends in school. However, he was homeschooled. I then knew that he was truly alone. I realized that everyone is going through something, no matter how old. It reminded me of how God stays true through it all. Through the loneliness and uncertainty, He continues to provide. We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know the One who holds tomorrow. That lesson is what I learned throughout this trip and it's something that will stay with me forever." - Daniel O.
About Us
Niagara Christian Collegiate (NCC) is an independent, non-denominational Christian school located on the beautiful Niagara River near Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
©2023 Niagara Christian Collegiate. All Rights Reserved.