The president of Bermuda Overseas Missions has said he was surprised and honoured to be awarded a Queen’s Certificate.

“I’m flattered,” David Thompson said. “I’m just very honoured that someone decided to pick me. It’s a great honour.

“I love what I’m doing with or without the honours. I get a lot out of it and I feel the young people benefit, and I really think that’s what’s important.”

Mr Thompson said that the charity started after his Minister at Christ Church, Warwick, approached him about celebrating Christianity outside of the church.

“Essentially the Minister said, in his opinion, church isn’t about coming to church on Sundays, it’s about how you put your faith into actions that counts,” he said. “That was the message that he wanted to get across.

“I thought about things that we could do and I realised there was an opportunity, particularly for our young people, to give them the opportunity they otherwise wouldn’t get, to go travel and see that Bermuda is not all there is.

“It’s about giving them the experience of seeing third world countries, areas that don’t have the same standard of living that we have, and making a difference by helping to build houses for people in need.

“Our biggest trip was in 2005 when we brought 50 people to Romania. This year we will be bringing 40 people to Bolivia.

“We actually went to the same town in 2004, so this will be the tenth anniversary of that trip.”

Through the programme, he said more than 600 people have travelled to 13 different countries and built more than 70 homes for needy families.

Along with helping the residents of these countries, Mr Thompson said the programme helps to give young people a unique look at the outside world.

And while the initiative started as a church project it gradually expanded beyond a single church, embracing those throughout the community and forming bonds with groups including Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Boy’s Day Out Club.

“Some of the kids who are involved in the trips are young people who may be going a little off track.

“We are trying to set them away from the gangs and other negative influences that they might have and give them another direction,” he said.

“We go away from the tourist traps. I want them to see how the real people in these countries live and survive.”