Mission trips have a way of bringing a whole new perspective on life. Frigga Simmons, director of development at Bermuda Institute (BI), desired BI students to participate in mission trips to give them a deeper understanding and appreciation of other cultures while providing selfless service. In April 2023, God provided a way for 50 BI students and chaperones to spend 10 days ministering in the Dominican Republic. They returned from this experience able to testify of God’s wisdom and grace as He taught them valuable lessons in faith, self-denial, and overcoming obstacles in His strength and timing.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly halted plans for a student mission trip to Peru. Two years later, Simmons again attempted to take the group to Peru, but political unrest made it unsafe to do so. Still desiring to complete a mission trip but not knowing where to go, Simmons and assistant coordinator Gina Richardson took the matter to the Lord. They prayed, “Lord if You want us to go on this trip, make it happen; we are at Your service.” A few weeks later, Maranatha Volunteers International contacted them about a project in the Dominican Republic. Changing the location created several obstacles that further complicated things, but the two continued to pray and invited others to pray with them. “God had so many lessons for us. But the most important one was that He wanted us to understand that this mission trip was not about us but His service,” said Simmons.
Under the spiritual leadership of Héctor Quiñones, Warwick church pastor and Hispanic Ministries coordinator for the Bermuda Conference, the students and chaperones participated in several activities in the Dominican Republic. They split into three groups. During the day, everyone worked diligently in the hot sun at a construction site where the group was building a church from the ground up.
Paul Simons, head elder of St. George’s church in Bermuda and proprietor of his own construction company, took 14 days off work and traveled ahead of the group to serve as the construction superintendent for the project. From day one, he intentionally worked on building a great rapport with each student. Once the connection was made, in a matter of minutes, under his professional and patient supervision, the students cooperatively worked with him side-by-side to reach a specific goal every day. This was extremely beneficial and impactful on their overall experience in building the church and completing the various tasks before them.
In the afternoons and evenings, one group would stay to continue working on the building; one group conducted a Vacation Bible School for the more than 100 local children who attended each night; and the other group participated in presenting an interactive health seminar for the community. On both Sabbaths, the students conducted the entire worship service with tenth-grader Guyen Bean delivering the sermons. Sabbath afternoons consisted of students distributing food in the community surrounding the church, as well as clothing and school supplies the students brought with them from Bermuda.
The mission trip impacted everyone involved in different ways. One student told Simmons, “The mission trip was an overall blessing for me. . . . Specifically, it made me more grateful for the things that I have and [more] appreciative of my community.”
In June 2023, Simmons retired from Bermuda Institute after 37 years of service. This mission trip was a memorable one in many respects. “As I retire, I close this chapter of my life with a grateful heart,” said Simmons. “It is gratifying to leave a legacy that will impact lives to come (should the Lord delay His coming). I cannot imagine a greater achievement in my career as a Christian educator than the opportunity and privilege this particular trip has afforded me.”
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—Bermuda Institute and Atlantic Union Conference Communication
