Since January I have been incredibly busy participating in ministry trainings and trips that have called me out of Maine.
First, in January, I was in Ft. Myers, FL for our Disaster Relief Training. I spent close to a week there learning, reviewing, and training for the future of our Adventures in Missions Disaster Relief Program. The goal of this weekend was to reflect on the last year of Disaster Relief ministry and rebuilding in Harlem Heights while also training volunteers who have served with us to be better equipped for the future. The week was full of beautiful stories of rebuilding, restoring families, and seeing the providence of God in the work taking place in Harlem. We are very close to the finish line on helping restore over 270 homes within the community!
Then, in February, I was in Gainesville, GA at our Adventures in Missions Base leading a weekend of training for all of our Short-Term Missions (STM) volunteer leaders. These are the incredible leaders who come on mission with us to lead others on the field in any of our 30 ministry locations. It was amazing to be in the room with 60+ other passionate, mission-minded men and women ready to build the Kingdom through STM trips this year. We have over 40 trips throughout the months of June, July and August so having the support of so many volunteers to lead our ministry teams is crucial to the effectiveness of our STM programs. We are also working with 80+ mission teams/families this year! It is incredible the number of people looking to join us on mission!
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During the last week of February I headed back to Ft. Myers, FL to lead a group of 30+ high schoolers in Disaster Relief ministry for a week. It was energizing to watch the group come to life to pursue being the hands and feet of Christ! Our theme for 2024 is MORE, based off of Ephesians 3:20. So I was able to lead devotionals and start conversations focusing on the MORE God has for us as we seek Him first. We were also able to work on the completion of one of the first homes I ever worked in back in Nov. 2022. How amazing is that?! And we invited a few of the community women to get involved with our team by cooking dinners for the team. It was beautiful to watch these relationships blossom throughout the week to build Kingdom and bring joy to this community.
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From FL, I flew back North to help lead another mission trip in Manchester, NH for the first week of March. Here, we had a team of high school teens ready to be the hands and feet of Jesus through inner city ministries. We spent our mornings serving at 1269 Cafe, which looks to provide shelter and meals to those in the community without homes. We spent some of our other time preparing meals and cards for foster families who are often overwhelmed with coordinating the activities of their kiddos. Additionally, we served with Roca Kidz which is a ministry that provides supplementary education, meals, fun, and faith to underserved kids in three locations within the city. The heart transformations that occurred even within our team of youth that week was nothing short of a miracle. It is amazing to see God show up in the divine details of our day to day on every single mission.
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Finally, for the last week of March, I headed off to lead 25 participants in Jaco, Costa Rica. In Jaco, we partner with a ministry called Ocean’s Edge that maintains many different partnerships within this area. They serve through the local schools, churches, and even support the local government by helping beautifully paint the community. We blended together 3 families and a team of young adults for this trip. It was encouraging to watch them interact with each other, swap stories about life and love and friendship. Throughout the week we partnered with a school, painted in the community, cleaned up the beach, met locals and prayed for them, helped with a volleyball clinic, attended a Good Friday Service, and put on a Surf Competition. I was even blessed with the opportunity to baptize one of the participants on the Saturday before Easter. It was amazing to be a part of a small piece of her walk with Jesus, as well as with the other participants as my co-leader and I again encouraged the MORE God has for us and the MORE He can do through us.
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On a personal level, I have also entered into a very committed and intentional relationship with Mykola (aka Nick). It seems that God has brought us together for plans far beyond our current understanding but I couldn’t be more ecstatic to begin building a home and a future with him. He was the best gift God sent me for Christmas in December 2023. Nick is incredibly caring, energetic, a hard worker, good at communication, intentional with his actions, always ready for adventure, and his heart is sought after sharing the love of Jesus with others too! I am so thankful God sent a man into my life that is ready to live on mission as God continues to lead us.
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As Spring comes upon us I am looking forward to a new season of reconnecting with my communities and partners back home, maintaining relationships with the groups I am currently helping coordinate summer trips for, and preparing for the busyness of the summer season. Like I mentioned earlier, we have over 40 more trips being sent out for the summer season! It is incredible to be a part of God’s unique plan of activating people through Short-Term Missions Trips. Each time I go I am in awe of the ways He divinely connects with each person on the trip. Miracles are happening and lives are being changed!
I am so grateful for those of you who support me and the work being done through Adventures in Missions. I am currently at 75% of my monthly ministry support raising goal for 2024 and beyond and I would love for you to consider how you could take the next step to partner with me through prayer, giving, going, or connecting me with others.
I think that’s all for now!!!
Lots of love & thankfulness!
Savanna
