For the typical college student, summer is a time to sit back and relax. Classes are over for the semester, usually concluding the end of a school year. Time to put in a few more hours at work and spend the days finding adventure, vacationing with family or friends, sleeping in, and staying up late.
Cameron Shelton’s summer was very different than the typical college student’s.
Instead of sleeping in, he woke early to roosters and cattle announcing the break of day. Instead of a blazing sun and endless blue skies, he lived through another winter, this one in the Southern Hemisphere. Instead of shooting hoops with friends or fishing a Michigan lake, Cameron spent two months teaching preschool in Swaziland, Africa.
Cameron’s call to missions came not too long after the tragic death of his mother in 2013. It was through this loss Cameron heard God calling him into missions – not only for the summer, but possibly for the rest of his life. Cameron originally applied to the Passport trip to Kenya, but was later asked to join the Swaziland trip.
Having not heard of the country before, Cameron read the trip description and fell in love with Swaziland before he ever stood on its soil. With one of the highest orphan populations in the world, Swaziland’s heartbreak was one he knew well as a son grieving the loss of a parent.
Once in country, Cameron stepped out in faith again, this time as a preschool teacher. It was challenging as his ministry partners changed three times over the course of the summer. But he knew he was exactly where he needed to be: “God broke down my expectations before I went. I expected big things, but I saw little things just as important. I just needed to be willing wherever I was.”
And he found that the children taught him as well. So many of them had lost a parent; many had lost both. And yet their joy was uncontainable. Through them God taught Cameron what it meant to have joy despite circumstances and to find his comfort in God alone.
One of the biggest surprises of his trip came from unexpected ministry to Swazi Christians. “We didn’t see a lot of salvations. The first month it was a tough environment. Swaziland itself is highly evangelized, much like the States. When we asked people questions about God, they all seemed to know the answers – even if their lifestyles said differently.” But being able to encourage the Christians there – Western missionaries and Swazis alike – impacted Cameron. “It was cool to encourage them and know that they will be there much longer than [my team] would be, and we were helping them be more effective in their ministry.”
Through being ready to share Christ whenever possible, Cameron had opportunities to tell his story. When a passenger on a bus, hurt in the past by Christians, asked him “how God could be good if the church was so corrupt,” Cameron shared how losing his mom brought him closer to God. That he felt God’s love for him and was able to praise God through it, even though it was difficult. And through that conversation, he was able to share the gospel.
Now back in the States, Cameron, 21, is continuing his education as a nursing major at Liberty University. “This summer confirmed that missions is what God wants me to do with my life. Two months wasn’t enough.”
To future Passporters, he says, “You won’t regret it, wherever you go. God has a plan for you wherever he places you.” Having applied for a trip to Kenya and ending up on the other side of the continent, Cameron saw this firsthand… and is coming back for more. He hopes to return to Swaziland on another Passport trip next summer – this time as a leader.
Is God calling you to the mission field? Check out a Passport trip or take a look at other mission opportunities from Adventures in Missions.
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