Adventures in Missions

Making Disciples in the Local Prison

Every Thursday, Kristin Fuller and others from the long-term base in Nicaragua head over to the Granada jail to share the life-giving power of God’s love and forgiveness. Thursday morning is perhaps my favorite morning of the week since I have moved to Nicaragua. It’s the morning when my team and I put on matching green shirts, pray together, and head over to the Granada jail for ministry. This is my favorite ministry that I’ve joined in so far . . . and I hope this blog will explain why. Each Thursday morning, we are allowed to enter the jail and meet in...

Cuts and Bruises are a Sign of Victory

When fathers and sons hiked a mountain in Mexico, they saw God in both the adventure and the victory. Last week, some friends from the States came to visit over their spring break. On Friday afternoon the ladies hung out with the orphanage girls while us men and boys undertook the enormous task of installing two more box gardens at the back of the orphanage property. Being the Super-Efficient-Alpha-Males that we are, we finished the box gardens in about 20 minutes. And then wondered, now what do we do? Someone, I don’t remember who, suggested we take 2 hours and climb the...

What Could Have Been the Worst Mission Trip Ever

April 28, 2015
Adventures
Youth Missions

While leading an Adventures Youth trip in the DR, Adventures Staff Caitlin Roberson saw the power and sovereignty of God as he took care of even the tiniest detail. I laid awake that Friday night knowing an international flight was waiting for me in the morning. The next day I would fly to the DR to lead a spring break youth group trip. A whirlwind of uncertainty tore my sleep to pieces. Did I pack everything? How will I find Pastor Juan at the airport? Will the ministry be enough? What if someone needs to go to the hospital? So many things slipped the grasp of my control. This could...

We Appreciate You God

It’s a phrase that one of our Cambodian brothers says often. It’s simple, but it’s one of those Cambodian things that we find ourselves saying every day. Team Cambodia has had some emotional goodbyes in the last week. We said goodbye to Vuthy, our ministry leader. We had a tearful goodbye with our Cambodian brothers and sisters on Sunday. Now it is the end of debrief and we are faced with our own team goodbyes. We have already said goodbye to our leaders and the rest of us fly out tomorrow (well I guess it’s actually today considering...

When Prayer Walking in Africa Leads to Having Church in Someone’s Front Yard

While on a prayer walk in Swaziland, God led Passporter Brie Goetz to three woman hungry for encouragement and teaching in the Body of Christ. Little did Brie know she would be bringing Church straight to their homes! We were instructed to pray that morning, but I didn’t want to pray blindly; I wanted to pray for specifics. My team decided to go on a prayer walk and I walked with one of my team leaders, Jessica. We eventually ended up in a village area, with wonderful little stone huts spread out across the red dirt. Wild umbrella trees were scattered along the valley of the...

Home.

My heart was full of nostalgia as we drove down the paved road to wifi one last time. Everything struck me as familiar—the people, the places, the sights and sounds. The chaos of the market was not overwhelming, but warm and inviting. And then it hit me: this new place has become home. The girls sitting to my left and my right are now my family. I have spent the last three months waking up next to them. They are the last faces I see before I fall asleep. They are the ones I pray for and pray with. We are living in the new normal, where going...

What No One Tells You About Going to Haiti

Before she left for her short term missions trip to Haiti, Ashley LaBella heard a lot about what she would experience. But what she found was a land completely different from she expected. We hear about the devastation and desperation in Haiti. We know the immense need for love and God’s presence, and of course food, water, and homes. We see pictures and stories on the news. We build up our own expectations on what it might be like there, but let me tell you; once you are truly there – nothing is at all like your predictions. There...

The Underwhelming Work of Man

Imagine. You have spent a little more than two months in beautiful, rural Cambodia. You have had maybe a week (max) of city experience and even less time with just your team. You and most of your teammates finally get the opportunity you have been waiting for: Angkor Wat. This is one of the seven manmade wonders of the world! This massive temple holds history, religion, and beauty—all completely unique to Cambodia. I am sorry to say it was underwhelming. We woke up at 4:30am to leave at 5am and see the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Everyone who goes to Angkor...

Love Those Who Persecute You

As I rub the coconut oil into her hands, my fingers trace her callused skin, and I wonder about her life and what might have formed these visible signs of living. Viesna’s mom is sprawled across the wooden frame beneath her stilted house. Emily, Haley, and I surround her, each focusing on a different area of her body. The smell of aromatic oils fills the air, and I smile, taking this picture in. This Cambodian woman whom I met yesterday has quickly become an important piece of our story here, so let us start from the beginning. It was Monday night. Bible study was supposed to start at...

The Little Things

Being a teacher was always the occupation I would have put on the bottom of my list. But I have fallen in love with teaching in a way I never thought I would. I graduated high school a mere six months ago, and here I am, teaching a kindergarten English class in Cambodia to 25 students whose ages range from 5-15. It’s an extreme struggle, but I’ve fallen in love. There is something so sweet about my students and their kind hearts. The pictures I get drawn for me daily, the jewelry that has been given to me, the dance parties, the smiles & the laughter & sassiness from my...

Why Short Term Missions Matter

Jesse didn’t want anything to do with God. An addict for 30 years, Jesse had recently been released from prison for selling drugs and trafficking illegal immigrants into the United States. “I didn’t believe there was a God because I thought I was going to die as a crack addict. I even had thoughts of killing myself because I thought I could never be forgiven.” So when a friend asked if he’d be interested in translating for a Christian missions team to his hometown of Granada, Nicaragua, he wanted to say no. But he needed the money to purchase crack. So he...

came for english, left with jesus

we started with the everything skit. not exactly easing them into this. lacey shared her testimony. amber shared the gospel. raw. plain and simple. no fluff. laid it out there. we played a song. and scattered to pray for them. the lord was moving. teens were asking for prayer. they wanted to know god deeper. they were captured by what they had just seen and heard. and then i saw her. in the corner of the church. right by the door. i had never seen her before. she was not one of our students. she was much younger than them and was not in uniform. i didn’t know who she was, but i knew...

Author: Adventures