Cool Kid : Youth learns invaluable lessons on mission

Sixteen-year-old DJ Darrow values several people for advice. Among them are his dad, his pastor and the elders of his church. So when he was considering going on a mission trip to Mexico this past summer, he sought their advice and was led by his heart.

His advice to anyone considering such a trip?

“Be in prayer about it and be led by God because sometimes he has people do his work right at home in their own community,” said the articulate and well-mannered student.

This past summer he and approximately 20 other people from both his church, Rathdrum Bible Church, and a neighboring congregation traveled to Tecate, Mexico, where they built roofs, poured foundations and put up drywall.

In addition to giving his time and talent, he also learned some invaluable lessons.

“People (in Mexico) do not take for granted the things that we do,” said DJ. “They use things we would throw away. They recycle and find other uses for things.”

But it wasn’t all work during the eight days he spent in Mexico. The group also put on a vacation Bible school for the kids and played soccer with them. DJ, who is on the soccer team for his Post Falls school, Classical Christian Academy, said he was amazed at the young kids’ soccer skills.

But what surprised him most was people’s faith and enthusiasm.

“Their faith is on fire,” said DJ. “It was very cool to see. I wasn’t expecting that.”

Last year DJ had another unexpected surprise. He was about midway through the ninth grade when his teachers approached the headmaster and suggested that DJ be moved into the 10th grade. The headmaster also happens to be DJ’s dad, Dirk Darrow.

“When my dad told me (about moving ahead) I thought it was pretty cool,” said DJ. “But we had to decide whether it was best for me.”

This year he started 11th grade and seems to be adjusting just fine.

“He is very gifted,” said his dad.

In addition to his Mexico trip, DJ recently returned from a school trip to the East Coast. His travels took him to Williamsburg, Jamestown, Boston and Philadelphia.

His dad believes the trip is as valuable as the classroom instruction the kids receive.

“With this trip, history comes alive and it all follows with our curriculum,” he said.

A history buff, DJ said the trip was a great time and finds it difficult to pick out one thing which he enjoyed the most.

“It was a very enlightening trip,” he said. “Williamsburg is very cool. There were people making wares the way they used to and were all dressed up.”

He also enjoyed the trip to Monticello to visit Thomas Jefferson’s plantation. He said he found it interesting that Jefferson designed it himself.

“He (Jefferson) thought of everything,” said DJ.

The cost of the trip was approximately $1100 per person. He and his classmates raised money by participating in an annual fun run sponsored by the school.

In addition to school and his church, DJ is also a member of the basketball team for his school. He loves sports and says he would be involved in more if they were available through his school. But he says the programs are expanding, and he is grateful to be able to participate at any level, especially considering how busy his family is.

DJ is the oldest of eight siblings, which include six boys and two girls. His youngest sibling was born about a year ago with Down syndrome and immediately faced critical health issues including heart surgery within two days of birth.

“It was very scary for our whole family because we didn’t know if he was going to be OK,” said DJ. His brother is doing much better now and both DJ and his dad credit DJ’s mom, Michelle, with making the household run smoothly.

“My wife is phenomenally gifted,” said Darrow, who says when it comes to budgeting, transportation and all the other issues that come along with parenting, she seems to handle it all.

DJ agrees. “She is great. I love my mom,” he said.

And as for being part of a big family, DJ would not trade it for anything.

“I like teaching the younger kids things,” he said. “It is fun to be in a big family. There is always something to do and it is never boring.”