Adventures in Missions

We Need More of the Presence of God

Adventures’ focus is discipling and equipping a generation to spread the Kingdom across the globe. As Easter approaches, we are taking time to focus on what this season means as we seek to be better disciples of Christ. Depending on your personal traditions, you may be celebrating the season of Lent. This is a time in the Liturgical calendar when Christians across the world enter a season of fasting and repentance in preparation for Holy Week. Though many of us in Evangelical circles did not grow up with Lent as a yearly practice, there is much we can learn from our more liturgical...

Why I Took My Daughter on a Mission Trip to Philadelphia

Alum Mission Leader and Participant Dayna Bickham saw Christ on the streets of Philly during a family mission trip. No one grows up thinking, “I want to live on the streets.” Life is tough. Sometimes our choices lead us to dark places and sometimes we just get the short end of the stick. Regardless of our station in life, everyone matters to Jesus. When I told people I was heading to Philly on mission trip, I got mixed reactions. Some wondered why I wanted to go to a city in the US to preach the gospel. Don’t you have to go overseas to go on a mission trip? And...

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

It was Saturday. Amber and I were both feeling a little off. We wanted to get away for a few minutes and refresh, so we walked up the street to what we call “the coconut place” to get an iced coffee. We ran into Dara, one of the boys we live with, who was getting some food. He asked us to sit with him and hang out. We ended up staying far longer than we expected, just hanging out and talking. It was getting close to dinnertime though, so we attempted to head back, but Dara wanted to stay just a little longer. As we finally made our way to the path to walk back, Soppanet’s...

Amongst the Cow Manure

February 26, 2015
Adventures
Adventures Updates

I am not a runner. My bestie from back in the States, now she’s a runner. Me, though? Not so much. But here in Cambodia, many of us have made a point to try and go on a few runs a week. These runs are not only a chance to explore the areas around where we live, but also to get away from some of the noise of living with twelve boys and droves of children who come for classes each day. Earlier this week, I went on one of these runs. It was a rare occasion, running by myself to “the coconuts” (aka the...

Evan Dias Didn’t Fit the Definition of “Missionary”

February 24, 2015
Adventures
World Race

We put them on pedestals; set them up as saints. Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, and Jim Elliot – names the contemporary Church reveres. These missionaries left everything, took their coffins as they sailed across the world, never again to see their families this side of heaven. They disappeared into the jungle, adopted the customs of those around them, and ultimately gave their lives for the sake of the gospel. Last century, missions looked like families leaving for five years, returning to the home country on furlough for a year, then back on the field once again. Marked by...

Introducing the Team!

February 22, 2015
Adventures
Adventures Updates

I am sure that many of you are wondering about these brilliant ladies I call my teammates and my leaders. I thought it might be beneficial if I told you about them. I guess I will start with Lacey. She is a mighty woman of God. You would not guess that she is 18 by the authority that comes out of her when she speaks on the word of God. She is a ton of fun and all the Cambodians think she is crazy (in the best way possible). She tells people she’s from Haiti, but she’s not. Her heart has just been captured by that country. She is the first one...

From Witch Doctor to Disciple of Jesus in Cuba

February 17, 2015
Adventures
Mission Trip Stories

While on a Church-to-Church trip to Cuba in 2014, Adventures Staff Colby Gardner saw a witch doctor commit his life to Christ. It was just another day in Cuba. Then, from a distance, I noticed the commotion: A crowd gathered. Voices rose. Hands-on combat. Violent wailing. Words flew through the air as slashing swords. This meant war. These were the hardest demonic attacks yet, he had explained. It was taking everything he had left. “We rebuke every demon in the name of Jesus. We bind the enemy in Jesus name and say flee! You do not belong...

Little Hands

February 13, 2015
Adventures
Adventures Updates

Little hands. Little laughs. Little smiles. This is what greets me every day. There are little pockets full of money for snacks and tiny teeth speaking words I don’t understand. And these little hands reach up for me and grab my heart. The little laughs echo in my ears. I love to watch them giggle at my funny faces. The smiles cannot truly be captured. They are too genuine and too beautiful to be caught on camera. These are the memories I cherish. These are the things that make me joyful. Teaching English is much more difficult...

A Reality TV Show of the World Race: Why Not?

Adventures Founder and CEO, Seth Barnes, wants to tell the story of how God is at work in the nations through a reality tv show of a World Race squad, following them as they live their faith in 11 countries in 11 months. Seth Barnes had a dream, one of many out of the box, too-big-for-man-to-accomplish-alone type dreams. A kingdom dream with the hand of God all over it: A reality television show following a World Race Squad. Why television? Barnes says, “Young people get their information visually. They want to see stories. If we want them to follow Jesus around the world, we need to...

A Week in Cambodia

February 8, 2015
Adventures
Adventures Updates

It’s Sunday evening. Sunday evening is wifi night, which also means it’s blog night. GAH I intended to already have this written but I don’t and I can’t figure out where in the world I should start. It’s only been a week since we began our ministry in Kampot but things already feel pretty normal and Vuthy and the guys feel like family. We’ve grown pretty accustomed to rice and squatty potties and bucket showers. Brushing our teeth outside starts and ends our day and hammocking takes up about every free minute. My feet are always dirty and I’ve just...

We’re not in Kansas anymore

February 8, 2015
Adventures
Adventures Updates

We’re not even in the Americas anymore. The farthest East I have ever been was a trip to Italy and one day in Croatia. We went so far “East” that we had to fly West! Landing in China on Wednesday 28 January for a small layover was my first experience in Asia. The 15 hour flight didn’t seem so bad once you’ve experienced 36 hours on a bus. I was excited to be in Asia, but was less than thrilled that a mix up cost me $7 for a very small cup of tea. And there was no wifi or way for us to contact home. My team passed the time with exploring the small...

Announcing the 2014 Storytellers Contest Winners!

February 3, 2015
Adventures
World Race

A few weeks ago we announced the 2014 Best of Adventures Storytellers Contest. We asked you to view our favorite pictures, watch our favorite videos, and read our favorite blogs. And we gave you this reason: “We are our stories, so it’s important to live good ones. But living a good story isn’t the end. Good stories need to be shared. God has given many of our missionaries unique abilities to tell stories beautifully, through writing, photography, and videography, and we want to celebrate the best stories.” So for the third year in a row, we hosted the Best of...

Author: Adventures