Baptist groups spread God’s Word

By MARGARET HOBBS / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Tori Gallagher, at left, and Shelby Smith spend quality time with youngsters from the Tohono O’odhan nation in Arizona. (Photos provided)

In an effort to share the gospel with others, groups from First Baptist and Cornerstone Baptist, Northside Baptist traveled to Arizona to visit with the Tohono O’odham (T.O.) people. The T.O. nation is in south Arizona bordering Mexico. Being a border town makes the area susceptable to drug trafficking and and influx of people seeking work. Many days the temperature rises to 115 degrees in the desert terrain. All this combines to make the T.O. people rich in history, but lacking hope for the future due to gangs, drugs and lack of jobs.

A total of 45 young people and 15 adults from Warren County stayed in Sells, Arizona on the reservation at the First Papago Baptist Church. Mornings started with VBS activities, playing games, doing crafts, enjoying snacks and sharing Bible stories with the children. Visitation teams were sent to eight other villages on the reservation.

Afternoon activities included working on construction projects and door-to-door witnessing. A playset was built on church grounds by the group from First Baptist.

Gatherings took place in the evenings in the parking lot of Basha’s, the only grocery store on the reservation. Group members presented a musical program followed by preaching and invitation. The last day’s activities concluded with a baptism with 68 people responding.

The group felt revived by leaving their individual comfort zones to go to the T.O. nation and make new disciples.