By Ardie Arvidson
Staff Writer
The Messenger
September 30, 2005
Justin Hicks of McBee took more away from the Rick Gage Ministries visit to Hartsville a couple of years ago than a few evenings of inspirational messages.
The ministry’s work made an impression on Hicks and his youth group at Gum Branch Baptist Church. The group attended the Rick Gage Ministries GO TELL Camp in Georgia, and at the camp in June of this year, Hicks made the commitment to join Gages’ crusade to Russia. The group of 19 will leave Oct. 12 for Kirov, Russia, and return on Oct. 21.
For the last six years, GO TELL teams have visited Russia. They first drew their attention toward the city of Bryansk, preaching the Gospel and providing aid. Last fall, they turned their attention to the city of Kirov.
They helped their host church in beginning a halfway house for orphans who are put out on the streets when they turn 15.
The team also visited orphanages where they gave away shoes, meat and dairy products to 1,500 orphans; distributed 1,800 pounds of aid including medical supplies; and gave away 2,000 Bibles and Christian books in the Russian language.
Kirov is a city of 600,000 people 700 miles northeast of Moscow near Siberia with only four small Protestant churches.
Kirov is a high poverty area, said Hicks. “Mothers give their children to orphanages.”
Hicks, son of Butch and Melissa Hicks, said he would be visiting some of theses children in the orphanages and in a children’s hospital. They will be taking to them about the Bible.
“I feel God was calling me to go,” Hicks said. “Hopefully it will help me decide if mission work is something I want to do. I hope it will answer a lot of questions that I have about mission work”
Hicks said he went to the GO TELL camp last year and Gage asked the same question if any of them would like to go with him to Russia. Hicks said he held off and didn’t go.
He is the only one from Gum Branch to make the decision to go. Hicks met some of the youth who are going at camp.
Hicks said he hopes to touch some lives of the people in Russia.
“Maybe God will speak to me, too,” Hicks said.
The McBee High School senior said his parents agreed it was his calling.
“They are kind of scared for me to go,” he said.
Hicks said it was his first time ever going anywhere outside of South Carolina and the neighboring states of North Carolina and Georgia.
“I’m not scared,” he said. “I am anxious to go. I’m real excited. My friends think it is a great thing. They said they will miss me but are excited for me.”
His younger brother, Corey is excited for him, too. Hicks said his brother is more local with his work.
Missing school won’t be a problem, Hicks said. He said his principal has approved his time away from school, but he will have to make up the work.
Upon graduation from high school, Hicks hopes to attend Spartanburg Methodist College. At McBee High he is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and hopes to play baseball this year.
For his journey to Russia, Hicks not only had to make a huge commitment of his time away from school and family, but he had to raise money to go. He raised $2,500. He said his church is very big into missions and helped him raise the money.
“My church is very supportive of mission trips,” Hicks said.
The McBee native had to obtain a passport, and he purchased his plane ticket through the camp.
Hicks said he was told to take with him a journal to keep a record of his journey and to bring his Bible.
The youth said he knows the language barrier will present a challenge to him and others; however, he thinks it can be overcome. He is ready for the challenge he said God has put before him.
