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Destin teens surf as they serve God
Sunday fund-raiser to help mission to Indonesia
Two Destin teens won’t be surfing channels or the Internet this summer.
Instead, Michaela Partin and Lindsay Barfield will be leaving in June for Indonesia to ride the surf and serve the Lord.
Avid surfers and competitors, the girls have decided to spend their summer vacation doing missionary work with Surfing The Nations and Elevate — The Bali Youth Centre. Both are organizations that reach out to the younger population through surfing and ministry.
Partin and Barfield will be sharing Christianity in a predominantly Muslim society.
“At the Youth Centre, I’ll be teaching English and working with the kids and teenage girls,” Partin, 18, a senior at Fort Walton Beach High School, said.
In order to communicate, Partin has learned Indonesian from a friend who speaks the language fluently.
Taking a break form her studies in Fine Arts at the University of North Florida, Barfield, 19, will also give surf lessons and work with the Balinese youth.
“We will also do a boat trip to islands not accessible by planes to bring medical supplies and clothing,” Partin said. “They don’t usually see missionaries.”
The friends met each other through Fluid Surf Shop and Barfield started attending Shoreline Church, where Partin’s father is the pastor.
Over time, they have worked to raise the funds for their travel through their own employment, fundraising and donations from family and Shoreline Church.
To help the girls make the trip, Graffiti and the Funky Blues Shack is holding a silent auction Sunday, June 1 from 5 to 10 p.m. Items available include gift certificates from Aqua Surf Shop and Pure 7 Studios; artwork from local artists Lucy Faotus, Andy Saczynski and Ryan Ivey; paddle board lessons from YOLO Board; a complete skateboard from Underfoot Industries; and a gift package of toys from Learning Express.
Graffiti will also be donating 15 percent of their proceeds from June 1 to 7 to Elevate when patrons mention this fundraiser.
“It’s definitely a blessing that I’m going on this trip,” Barfield told The Log.
