Keep On Singing

Your voice matters.

February 5, 2025 | Washington State, United States | Jodi Genson

Mission trips were some of the most exciting adventures my family ever had. We traveled from our home in Washington State, United States, to many different places—New York City, Belize, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Philippines! Every trip was full of surprises. Some were wonderful, some were uncomfortable, and some were just plain funny. But all of them gave us opportunities to meet new people, make friends, and share the love of Jesus.

One of the best parts of traveling was learning about different cultures. We loved trying new foods, learning songs in different languages, and seeing how people lived in ways different from us. Every country had its own special flavor, and we felt honored to experience it.

But it wasn’t all sunshine! Some parts were definitely . . . interesting. In Belize, for example, I woke up one night to discover a huge tarantula crawling across my pillow. On the same trip, an opossum tried to chew its way through the roof of our grass hut. Then there were the scorpions that occasionally popped up in the showers, or the huge spiders whose legs you could see peeking out behind the toilet at night—now, that was a surprise no one wanted.

In the Dominican Republic we met the biggest mosquitoes I’ve ever seen in my life. And if the giant ones weren’t enough, there were also the tiny no-see-um bugs that left our skin covered in itchy red blotches. The Philippines had its own challenge: the blazing sun. After just one afternoon swimming in the beautiful aqua-blue ocean, our skin was so sunburned we got blisters on our shoulders and legs. These things weren’t exactly fun, but those little inconveniences became part of the stories that made our trips unforgettable.

Puppets and Frogs

One of my favorite memories happened in the Dominican Republic. Our team was helping with medical clinics, children’s meetings, and evangelistic programs in villages outside the capital city, Santo Domingo. I was coordinating children’s programs. We built a puppet theater out of plastic pipes and fabric. It wasn’t fancy, but once our puppet friends—Estella, Joaquín, Pablo, and others—popped up, kids came running from all directions. They loved the funny voices, silly songs, and Bible stories the puppets told.

One rainy afternoon we squeezed into the back of a tiny Datsun pickup truck and bumped down a muddy road toward a small village. The rain came down so hard that we wondered if any children would show up. But as soon as we set up, they came running! Children splashed through puddles, laughing and jumping, completely soaked but not minding at all.

As we performed, the rain poured onto the roof of our fabric puppet stage. Slowly a puddle of water built up, and the canvas roof began to sag lower and lower over our heads. We talked louder over the sound of the rain, hoping the roof wouldn’t rip. Finally one of the men from the community came with a broom and pushed the roof up so the water spilled out in a great splash. The children shrieked with laughter. Even though we were wet, we kept going, and the kids listened carefully to every story we told about Jesus.

Not every memory was so sweet. On another ride through the countryside, our truck had way more people crammed in the back than would ever be allowed in the United States. We were laughing and bumping along when suddenly—boing!—a frog jumped into the truck! The moment it landed, people started leaping out of the truck! I can’t blame them. I wouldn’t appreciate a big frog jumping onto my head, either.

But not all frogs are scary. In Puerto Rico I met one I actually liked. His name was Coquí. He’s a tiny tree frog, only about the size of a penny, but he has a very loud voice. Every night Coquí came to our window and sang: “Coquí! Coquí! Coquí!” His lullaby went on all night long. He might be annoying to people who live there, but I found his song kind of sweet.

Of course, Coquí can be a problem, too. Female Coquí frogs lay up to 40 eggs at a time, and they do this five times a year! Since they don’t have many natural enemies, their numbers grow quickly. That’s a lot of frogs! For that reason many people in Puerto Rico think of them as pests.

The Coquí makes me think of a story in the Bible. When Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem, He saw people selling animals and exchanging money in dishonest ways. He turned over their tables and drove them out. The people ran in fear, but the children didn’t. Instead they began singing praises: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” The religious leaders didn’t like it at all. They told Jesus to make the kids be quiet. But Jesus said no—He wanted the children to keep singing.

Sometimes talking about Jesus might bother people who don’t know Him, just as the song of the Coquí frog bothers some. But Jesus doesn’t find your words of praise annoying. He loves them! And just as the puppet shows in the Dominican Republic drew children to hear about Jesus, your words can attract others too.

So here’s the challenge: Don’t be afraid to share about Jesus. Don’t be afraid to speak for Him, even if some people don’t agree with you. Your song, your story, your voice—they matter. You never know who might hear and decide to follow Him because of you.