Few high-schoolers would pass the opportunity for a trip to Jamaica. But when a group of local teenagers travels there next month, there won’t be any vacationing at resorts.

From July 10 through 16, Greg Atkins, youth pastor at Faith Evangelical Free Church, will take a group of 20 students to Balaclava, Jamaica, where they will help families and a church in the poverty-stricken region.

Atkins, who began work at Faith Evangelical in March 2010, is taking his first youth group from the Austin church out of the country, something he hopes to continue for years.

“Acts 1:8 says go out to all the ends of the earth,” Atkins said about helping the people of the world.

Atkins and others at his church see helping the unfortunate as God’s will. It’s also how Atkins became involved in the first place.

“I’d definitely say God got me into ministry,” he said.

Part of Atkins’ vision, along with the church’s, is to build a network with others who continually help the same impoverished regions. Because the group of 20 is only in the region for one week, it hopes to build relationships with others who can continue some of the work throughout the year. Because this is the first time Atkins’ group will be in Jamaica, he will gauge how things go and try to return to the area next year or after with a better understanding of how to help. But for this first time, Faith Evangelical plans to partner with Elderslie Baptist Church in Jamaica to carry out some of the tasks, which are plentiful.

“A big issue in Jamaica and specifically around Balaclava is broken homes,” Atkins said.

He and the group are using some of their funds raised to buy rings for spouses of Jamaica. They hope to increase the importance of marriage to couples in the region.

Another effort involves making simple improvements to the homes in the area, which are often nothing more than tin buildings. Atkins said they’ll repair roofs, so they don’t leak, help the elderly with work and volunteer within large families that don’t have many resources.

Atkins’ wife, Lindsey, has already worked in Jamaica several times leading missionary trips for young people. She will be mostly in charge of the Faith Evangelical’s role in Balaclava. But Atkins isn’t going just because his wife is.

“I don’t want to just go with this organization because my wife works for it.” he said.

Atkins added one of the students offered the idea of going to Jamaica, as other missionaries are already working in the area, including some from other churches in Austin. And serving on missions is Faith Evangelical’s bread and butter.

“Our church has a history of missions here,” Atkins said.

Faith Evangelical’s congregation is a group of many travels. It has served missions in the U.S. Haiti, Costa Rica, Mexico, Poland, China, Thailand and many other places.

Thus far, Faith Evangelical has raised nearly $20,000, just $7,000 shy of its goal for the mission. Anyone can donate to the mission by giving to Faith Evangelical Free Church’s “Team Jamaica.”

Atkins encourages more youths to try missionary work, as it is something they can continue for the rest of their lives. He hopes this trip will start a life of missions for many of the students involved.

“If I can in six days give them a passion that will last for the rest of their lives, that six days is definitely going to be worth it.”

He added, “I’d like to see students experience a service — here in Austin as well as branching out to the cities — and the world. … Being a missionary is a powerful privilege.”