Suncoast Pasco News
Young Man On A Mission
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Published: May 3, 2008
Updated:
NEW PORT RICHEY - One thing's for sure, when Chandler Hayes heads back to River Ridge Middle School next fall, he'll have nothing to worry about if he's hit with one of those "What I did over the summer" writing assignments.
Many 12-year-olds will idle away their summers entranced by virtual activity on movie and video game screens. Chandler, however, will be halfway around the world, building his own character as he helps construct a Bible camp and perform other missionary work.
"I thought the entire thing would be bringing me closer to God," Chandler said. I'll be experiencing a whole different thing."
In late June, Chandler will start off on an experience that will take him to Australia as a member of Teen Missions. Founded in 1971 in Merritt Island, Teen Missions is an interdenominational evangelical mission organization.
Teen Missions gives young people the chance to see the needs of people around the world and to experience the personal, spiritual satisfaction of missionary work. It currently has 25 bases and more than 200 established missions in 110 countries.
"Kids come back changed," said Teen Missions founder Bob Bland.
The young people who get involved see other parts of the world, other cultures, Bland said. A lot of them realize how good they have it back home. And while most join because they feel guided by their Christian faith to do so, once they've put that motivation into practice at this level, it deepens their connection to their faith.
Certainly, Chandler's faith is what motivated him in wanting to take on the challenge of missionary work.
"I thought I'd be able to go out to the schools, and say, 'Hi, I'm Chandler Hayes from the United States and I'm here to tell you about my God,' " he said.
He will be doing some of that, visiting schools and talking about Christian beliefs. He will also spend part of the time helping build a Bible school about 100 miles north of Brisbane, the capital of the Australian state of Queensland.
The trip will be challenging in many ways, but he's already met one of the biggest challenges of all - getting his parents' permission to go.
Rich and Lisa Hayes were on an anniversary cruise when Chandler first heard about Teen Missions. Convinced that this was not just something he wanted to do but was meant to do, he had all the brochures and information by the time his parents got home.
"We came home and had no idea this idea had come to him," Rich Hayes said. "He told us that he felt pretty clear that God had directed him to this mission.
"We were, like, 'wow, that's amazing, but we'll get back to you.' "
Their first reaction was that this was a pretty tall order for a 12-year-old who's never spent a night away from home and never been on an airplane. Chandler would be spending nearly two months more or less as far away from home as possible.
On the other hand, Chandler's reasoning seemed to be stemming from his - and his parents' - beliefs. So, like their son, they discussed it rationally and prayed for guidance.
"We just tried to come with a reason why he shouldn't and we couldn't come up with a reason, other than our own personal fear," Rich Hayes said. "Once we understood how he came to this decision, we said, 'If this is what God wants, He wants our son to do this - how can we stop that?' "
Prior to his five weeks in Australia, Chandler and his fellow young missionaries will go through a "boot camp" at Teen Mission's Merritt Island. They will spend two weeks in tents, learning to bathe out of a bucket.
Perhaps hardest of all, Bland said, they are unplugged from their phones and all the other electronic gizmos that are so much a part of their lives.
"I'll probably get over it," Chandler said.
Seated next to Chandler on a sofa in their living room, Lisa Hayes shared Chandler's confidence with being separated from modern technology. She did wonder how her son would handle homesickness.
Once in Australia, the only form of communication Chandler will have is old-fashioned letters, which take about 10 days to arrive. "If everything goes right," Lisa said.
Chandler's impending adventure has brought the Hayes family closer together. His younger brother, Mitchell, even tapped the financial reserves of his football bank and donated it toward Chandler's expenses.
One aspect of missionary work Chandler has already experienced is fund-raising for the trip, which will cost about $5,000. The Hayes' could have afforded to foot the bill themselves, but it was Lisa who suggested raising the money.
It would be a better experience for Chandler and it would allow others to share in his experience, his mom reasoned.
"He's done yard work, different companies have gotten together and sponsored him, other missionaries have donated money and sponsored him," Lisa said. "Friends, family, all of our neighbors, even people we haven't met at the churches he's spoken at.
Riverside Fellowship Church, which the Hayes family attends, has been supportive as well.
Not only has the money been coming in but, seemingly out of nowhere, people are popping up who are from Australia or are planning on going to Australia who have been happy to share their knowledge.
"It's all been very reaffirming," Rich said.
The Hayes family has set up a Web page, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChandlerHayes/, for those interested in supporting Chandler's mission. To learn more about Teen Missions visit www.teenmissions.org>.
Klint Lowry can be reached at 727-815-1067 or at klowry@suncoastnews.com
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