Northwest R-1 School District’s athletic director Kyle Wampler, along with members of Faith Community Church in House Springs, recently spent eight days on a mission trip in Guatemala, building homes and sharing their faith.
Wampler, 37, of House Springs said he and his family had been interested in going on a mission trip for years, and it finally worked out this year.
“We left for Guatemala on June 12 and were gone for eight days. My wife, Tristan, and two children, Blaine, 15, and Brenley, 10, were on the mission trip with me,” Wampler said.
Faith Community Church and Send Me, a nonprofit group that serves the Quiché people of Joyabaj, Guatemala, organized the trip, he said, adding that it’s an annual trip for the church’s congregation, which has a longstanding partnership with missionaries in Joyabaj.
“Pastor Josh Earls and his wife, Lauren, got everything set up for us and made it very easy to get us down there,” Wampler said. “I cannot thank them enough for all that they have done.
“We worked with an amazing group, Send Me, and missionaries George and Tammy Roller. They’re originally from Arnold, and their team is amazing, Not only do they build many houses each year, but they also do medical mission trips and employ a physical therapist in the town. They are working on a medical bus, building a hospital, and, most importantly, they share the Jesus Film and Gospel outreach with thousands of kids in the area each year.”
The group built two homes for those in need during the mission trip. The group members stayed in the town of Joyabaj, located in the Central Highlands of Guatemala.
Wampler says that the trip provided the group the chance to meet the villagers’ practical needs on the ground while sharing the hope of the Gospel with others.
“I was fortunate to bring my entire family. My friend and former boss, Brad Snell, and his son were also on the trip, along with five Northwest students and many other great people from our church who sacrificed their time and money to make this trip,” he said.
Kyle Wampler with his son, Blaine.
Wampler just finished his third year as athletic director at Northwest.
“I have been with the district for 11 years. For seven years, I taught health and biomedical science. I was also the head baseball coach and assistant football coach during those times,” he said.
Wampler, who has been a member of Faith Community Church for five years, said the trips are open to all Faith Community Church members, but if there’s space, others with a heart to serve people are welcome to apply.
He said the group spent its first day of the mission trip traveling. Then, on the second day, everyone got to enjoy the town and visit its large market. There, the group gathered tools and supplies needed for the home-building projects.
“During the week, we split into two teams: one team building two homes for at-risk families and the other group going to schools to play games, dance and ultimately share the gospel with hundreds of children,” he said. “On this trip, we were also fortunate enough to be able to pour concrete at the local missionary church that provides homes for widows and their kids. To my surprise, we got to be there when over 60 kids came to have snacks, play games and do arts and crafts, as part of a weekly outreach.”
Wampler said he also had the privilege of meeting Bill Vasey, a missionary who has spent more than 40 years serving the Quiché people.
“With no written language, Bill developed an alphabet for them and eventually translated the Bible into their native language, bringing pride and dignity to an ancient culture. His story, which he shares in his book, Called: He Gave Them the World, is nothing short of remarkable,’ Wampler said.
He said the trip was an amazing and eye-opening experience, changing not only his perspective, but also his family’s.
“You really get an understanding of how fortunate we are when you see some other parts of the world. What stood out to me is that people are praying for a new home because they have practically nothing, and our church is able to be a small part in answering that prayer for someone,” he said. “We didn’t just give, we received. Gratitude, humility and purpose were poured into us as much as we tried to pour into others.”
To learn more about the Send Me organization, visit sendme.org/.