NATCHEZ — Troy Thomas always returns from international mission trips more grateful than when he left.

Thomas, who is the pastor at Bethel Church in Vidalia, will spend two weeks spreading God’s word in Nairobi, Kenya, and other parts of Africa when he departs Aug. 16.

The trip is Thomas’ fifth to Africa since 1996, when he first began taking mission trips to foreign countries.

“Every time I go to Africa, it changes me,” Thomas said. “I come back to America more grateful for the blessing we have here, and I ask God to forgive me for complaining.”

In his past trips to Africa, Thomas said he’s been amazed at how little the churchgoers have and how much they respond to the word of the Lord.

Thomas uses a Swahili translator to communicate with those who gather to hear the services, some who travel great distances to attend.

“The people have no church building to meet to worship in,” Thomas said. “They gather under this tree to hear myself and others preach.

“I believe that they were touched by the Holy Spirit, never to be the same.”

Thomas said he always tries to visit new churches or areas when he travels to Africa, but that he also enjoys seeing the same people who have taken the messages he shared and used them to improve their lives.

“I like to know that things that we’ve said stick with a person, because you can share a word with them, but you never know if it’s going to stick,” Thomas said. “I enjoy visiting with some of the same people and seeing how they’re doing and the progress they’re making.”

Apart from preaching the gospel, Thomas said he also participates in projects to help develop portions of the community.

Seeing and participating first hand in those types of projects, Thomas said, is incredibly rewarding.

“When you send money to different places, you don’t really get to see what it’s going to,” Thomas said. “But to go to an orphanage with 300 children and helping serve food makes you realize how underprivileged some of these people are.”

The international trips are always a great reminder for Thomas of just how fortunate he is to call the Miss-Lou home.

“If you were to take every American to a third-world country, they would be thankful and appreciative of where they were born,” Thomas said. “I thank God I’m American, because I couldn’t imagine having to deal with some of the things they don’t have.”

Thomas has preached and traveled on mission trips all over the word including Russia, Mexico, Ghana and the Ivory Coast.