This Is My Offering

"Don’t be nervous. Your offering will be incense to God, and He will find pleasure in the aroma." 

That's what Mindy Newsome's Spanish tutor, Lourdes, told her when Mindy admitted she was nervous about a last-minute assignment: teaching an entire session in Spanish to a room full of Costa Rican students. Mindy had never spoken publicly in Spanish before, let alone written and taught a full lesson in it. But standing backstage before her first session in Costa Rica, she repeated the words back to God as a prayer. 

She remembers praying, "Okay God, this is my offering, do what you will with it, and I trust it will be a pleasing aroma to you," adding one more request, that the Holy Spirit would fill in any gaps in her translation or pronunciation. 

It's the kind of moment Mindy didn't expect when she first said yes to the trip. 

How the Invitation Came 

Mindy and her husband, Brian, have served in KidCity and Middle School Ministry at Mt. Bethel Church for about five years. When Elaine Friedrich, the trip leader for this summer mission trip, began putting together a team to serve at the International Leadership Institute's (ILI) "History Makers" conference in Costa Rica, she thought of Mindy because she knew Mindy spoke some Spanish and loved working with young people. 

History Makers is a 30-hour leadership course built around eight core values of Christian leadership, taught by ILI teams around the world. In Costa Rica, about 65 students between the ages of 15 and 24 attended, many of them balancing the conference with college or work. 

"These kids were totally on fire for Jesus," Mindy said. "They were so engaged with the material and were so inspiring to be around." 

Four people traveled from Mt. Bethel to serve at the conference: Elaine Friedrich, Cynthia Brown, Mike Gilliam, and Mindy. Each of them taught two or three sessions, plus a morning devotional. Mindy's sessions covered mission, vision, and spiritual gifts, but her devotional on solitude — held in a small chapel at the seminary where the team stayed — stood out to her most. 

"I shared how sometimes we can find God's voice in silence," she said. 

A Plan That Got Turned Upside Down 

At one of the preparation meetings before the trip, Elaine asked the group how they were feeling and  if they had any concerns. Mindy, ever easygoing, told her she could "roll with whatever." 

"Shortly thereafter, Elaine looked at me and smiled, declaring, 'You can teach in Spanish!'" Mindy said. 

Her original plan had been to lean on ILI's translator and simply chat with students in Spanish between sessions. Now she'd be writing and delivering an entire lesson in a language she'd studied and loved for years but had never used to teach in public. 

That's when she called Lourdes, her tutor, and got the words about incense and aroma that she says she'll never forget. 

When the moment came, Mindy told the students upfront that she wanted to speak to them in Spanish and asked them to help her if she got stuck. 

"They were so precious and gracious and did just that," she said. "After that first session, I felt like I could conquer the world. Thank you, Jesus!" 

Watching Students Take the Gospel to the Streets 

One of the conference's most memorable moments happened away from the seminary. About a mile from where the team was staying were two city park squares, and students were sent out to share the gospel with anyone they met. 

Adults were asked only to observe and be available if needed — but Mindy said the students barely needed them at all. 

"It was incredible to look out over the park square and see groups of young people praying over strangers," she said. 

Where She Saw God Move 

Mindy said it was hard to know where to even begin describing how God showed up that week. She watched students grow more comfortable sharing their own testimonies as the days went on. She built fast friendships with Cynthia and Mike, teammates she hadn't known well before the trip. And somewhere in the middle of it all, something shifted in her own heart. 

"Most personally, I'd say my heart was moved toward returning to Costa Rica and having this experience again next year," she said. 

What Comes Next 

Mindy said she left Costa Rica feeling a strong pull toward more short-term missions — and toward using both English and Spanish to share the Gospel, wherever that leads. 

"It's not 100% clear to me how that will transpire fully, but I'm open to whatever God has planned and excited for the ride," she said. 

She won't have to wait long to find out. This November, Mindy will join another Mt. Bethel team on a mission trip to India alongside Global Hope Partners. 

For anyone weighing whether to go on a mission trip of their own, Mindy's advice is simple. 

"Go to God in prayer and ask honestly and with surrender if He's leading you to one," she said. "He will answer that prayer." 

And if the offering feels too small, or the fear feels too big, Mindy would tell you the same thing Lourdes told her: give it anyway. It just might be the aroma God's been waiting  to receive. 

Ready to take your next step on mission? Visit mtbethel.org/missions to sign up for upcoming opportunities and mission trips, or email missions@mtbethel.org with your questions!