South America A

After their quick 2 week trip, the South America A team is back home safe! Check out their final post below!

Today we said goodbye. Two weeks of amazing relationships built, hard work, laughter, crying, too much ice cream, and a lifetime of memories. 

It’s hard to explain the emotions we feel in a blog post, but a piece of our hearts is definitely staying here in South America. The ministries we got to serve and the people we got to meet showed us more about the love of God than we could’ve ever imagined, and I know I speak for the team as a whole when I say this experience has been life changing in the best of ways. 

As I write this we’re enjoying our final dinner together. Some people are laughing, some are holding back tears, and others are drinking way too much coffee. I’m looking around and I can’t help but feel so blessed by the commraderie this team has developed over these last couple of weeks. Every single person has played such an important role, and God has used them in so many amazing ways. 

We’re so grateful to be returning home, and our collective prayer is that this experience pours over into our lives back home through our friends and family, our church community, our college, and any person that we meet. So if you’ve read this far, please take time to chat with the team member you know about their experience, pray with them, encourage them, and love them well. God bless, team South America A OUT!

A day that everyone had been dreading but felt like the last week was leading up to, saying goodbye to the church. We gathered our chairs in a circle and got to listen to a man at the church share his sweet testimony. He felt it was necessary to share that the joy we had in work would not leave his mind. That watching our group dance and sing like we were in a musical all while doing hard work was something he wanted to embody. Whether we were painting walls, hanging panels, cleaning the floor, painting curbs, or at a house visit of a church member- we all had a purpose. The purpose was to love on the church and the community as Christ loves us. Every little detail was intentional, we will all walk away with a lasting sense of love and admiration for a place so so far away from us. We took our final team picture at the end of the work day and had to say goodbye to the beautiful view over looking the city and to the beautiful people we got to meet along the way. They sent us off with hugs, videos, and gifts to remember our time with them. We made sure to stop in at our favorite corner store owner, Blanca, to say goodbye (and to thank her for restocking her ice cream every day). We hope that our hearts shine through all the projects we did at the church and that the love of Christ is embodied every place we touched. We hustled back to our home base, packed all of our belongings in 10 minutes, and off we went. We went on a tour that was special to our location – The Middle of the World. We learned about the history of the country and the native people, then at the end got to *attempt & succeed* at balancing an egg on a small nail. We got back in the bus and accepted the complete uncertainty of the place we would be staying the night. We arrived at a sweet cabin like area and all the girls got bunk beds in a giant room and the boys got two rooms that they naturally turned into one by bringing a couple beds in. We met incredible long term missionaries from South Africa that made us dinner and started a fire so we could enjoy everyone’s company. This team has been begging to try and Guinea pig and we were gifted with that during team time. We all took a big bite and yes it does taste like chicken… just greasier and then got to do some incredible reflection with one another. We got to encourage people one on one and also share peoples strengths blindly. There was plenty of laughter and tears that lasted easily 2 hours, Jesus was in THAT room. We played games, had deep conversations, and ultimately had a big sleepover for the last time with lifelong friends.

-Lauren

Hi everyone! 

This morning we left to go to the church at 8:20. We started with Gabie giving a devotional and then dancing to Joyce’s favorite song. Then we split up, the group working on the church finished painting and building the fence and Me, Jess, and Vivian went on a house visit. Emily walked us to her house up a very steep hill. When we got to her house her grandma Carmen and cousin David greeted us. Vivian helped Carmen cook. Jess danced with David, and me, Gabie, and Jonathan helped Emily paint her room. We didn’t have enough brushes so me and Emily had to walk all the way down and back up the very steep hill to get brushes from the church. Once we were painting At one point Me, Gabie, and Jonathan were doing one wall with cardboard laid out and trying to be very careful not to spill yellow paint anywhere and we turned around and Emily had almost the whole wall done by herself with paint everywhere and all over herself. I thought it was funny and also thought it’s a good reminder to let go a little and that everything doesn’t have to be perfect. While we painted we talked and sang music and I even got to connect with Emily on similar experiences we had gone through. After we painted me and Emily went to 3 stores to find cookies to have with lunch. On our walk we were still able to have good conversation despite the language barrier. We ate a great meal with Emily, David and their grandma and had great conversation as we ate. After the meal we helped clean up a bit and then left. Everyone working on the church was finishing up and it looked great. We all than played games with the kids and then later had to say bye to them as that was the last time we would get to see them. We came back to where we were staying had our debrief and then went to a mall for dinner. We all chose where we ate for dinner but most of us ended up at a Mexican restaurant. We then walked back and then some of us played a chaotic card game. Where Jess lost 3 out of 4 rounds!

-Lille

Hi everyone! 

The last week and a half has been amazing! I’m sure as you all have been reading and keeping up to date. I’ve been trying to find the right words to describe this experience—this mission experience in this country—but the truth is, no words seem big enough. One of the most powerful parts of this journey was getting the chance to do a home visit and meet a truly wonderful family. Sitting in their home, hearing their stories, cooking, cleaning, and sharing life with them, even if just for a short time, was something I’ll carry with me forever. It wasn’t just a visit—it was an invitation into their lives, their struggles, their joys, their faith. It was deeply humbling.

What made the connection even more meaningful was being able to speak the language. It opened up a different kind of intimacy and trust, no need for translation, just human to human, heart to heart. And having some understanding of the culture made everything resonate that much deeper. I’m so grateful for that gift. It reminded me that language is more than words—it’s a bridge, and in this case, it helped bridge continents and hearts.

A fun little moment today was when I saw guinea pigs—cuy, as they’re called here! What amazed me is that they’re not pets like back home; they’re considered a delicacy, a luxury meal. It’s moments like that where you realize just how vast and beautiful the world’s diversity is.

But what’s impacted me most is seeing how God is moving here. Not just in the big moments, but in the everyday lives of people who trust Him with such sincerity and depth. It’s been humbling and inspiring to witness faith that’s not just spoken, but truly lived. And just as I feel like I’ve started to genuinely bond with everyone—locals and teammates alike—we’re now only a few days away from leaving. It sucks. There’s no other way to put it. Saying goodbye to people who feel like family after just a short time never gets easier. But I also know that the connections we’ve made are real, and they’ll live on in memories, prayers, and hopefully, future returns. South America has changed me. This trip has opened my heart in ways I didn’t expect. I came to serve, but I leave having received more than I ever imagined.

-Bre

Hola from South America!! 

After an amazing rest day yesterday it was time to get back to work. Our day started at 8:20 we we loaded the bus and headed off to Dios es Amor. At the church Bre led a devotional sharing some of her testimony and a passage from Psalms. After we were introduced to a few new members from the church who led us through  our work for the day. 

Today we started a big project for the church by painting all of the sanctuary. We started by sanding and prepping the walls for paint. We got to learn how to set up scaffolding and many people learned how to spackle holes in the wall. At the same time a few others from the team removed screws and tile from the walls around the stairs. We finished the day with a first coat of paint on half of the walls. 

Our day was filled with lots of laughs, dancing, and a variety of Disney music. For our snack we got to enjoy some oranges and watermelon which many people said was the best they have ever had.  At lunch we got to try some ceviche soup, chicken and rice, and Naranjilla juice. 

Today was really cool as many of the tasks we did were things people had never done before. For some people before this trip they had never painted or used tools so they have been able to expand their experiences while also serving others. We have all been learning so much on this trip and most of all I would say that we have found a huge need for community. 

Special mention: As we have been stopping by the corner store to buy ice cream and sodas at the end of our days we have began to get to know the owner Blanca. Now every time we leave the church she stands outside her door and waves us goodbye. (She is featured in the photo with the balloon animal on her wrist!)

#WeLoveBlanca

-Jaylee

Happy Sunday everyone!! Can’t believe a week has already gone by so quickly. 

Today we went to church at Dios es Amor where we heard a devotional, message, and worship. Our team led a worship set to show them how we worship. So some of us played instruments while the rest sung. Then we had Ryan and Amelia share their testimonies. 

After church we had lunch and after that we went to the marketplace to do some quick shopping. This is where the bargaining skills comes in. We came back where a few of us did some general shopping and getting some treats while the rest stayed back relax. Cole made us dinner by making chicken fettuccine with homemade white sauce and it was pretty good. For the rest of the evening we took it easy by playing games and resting. 

Thanks for hearing about our day! 

-Katelyn

Hello friends and family what another amazing day in country. Today was a much lighter day work wise. We got to take a break from yard work and honey-do’s and spent the day really pouring into the people of the church. We started our day by meeting with Pastor David who is one of the church elders. He gave a word coming from Exodus 30:22-25 the emphasis was on how God was specific on using different ingredients in order to complete the Holy oil. We too are all very different yet God did that intentionally to create the church. Not a single one of us is the same yet together we form the body of Christ. After our devotional we headed to the park with all the kids and had some fun. We played a few games of four corners, soccer, volleyball and treated the kids to an ice cream from the corner store. It’s amazing to see that despite the language barrier the kids have no problem running right up to you and giving you a big hug. The people here are so intentional on greeting everyone and making sure everyone feels loved which I think is how Christ would want us all to act. Taking the time to talk to the person you’re passing by on the street, hugging the person you just met telling them God loves them. After play time was over we put on a few workshops for the community. The first workshop was on social media where a few of our group members who do social media full time taught the church staff how to use their social media and how to post and put together content so that they could reach the community and ultimately drive more people into the church. The next workshop was on Finance where a couple of us went over budgeting how to save and how to allocate. The adults were very receptive to this info as it wasn’t something they had heard before. While we were doing this the rest of the group was upstairs making balloon animals and doing origami with the kids. After we finished the workshops we had a surprise birthday celebration for Evelyn one of the church members where we danced and ate cake together. We then loaded back into the bus and headed back down the mountain to the hostel. Where we dined on McDonalds burgers with potato buns and plantains followed by a team debrief reflecting on the day. Looking forward to whats in store for tomorrow!!

-Cole

Hi everyone! 

Today was such a fruitful day! I woke up early and got to spend some good time with the Lord reading scripture. We then all headed to the local church for another day of ministry! One group was sent to do a house visit and help with chores while the other stayed at the church and helped build fencing and do more painting! 

I was fortunate enough to be in the house visit group. It was so clear that the group that went was divinely orchestrated by the Lord to serve the needs of the family. We visited Daniella and her daughter. We were able to help with some chores around the house. Amelia and I helped with laundry by hand (my arm will be sore tomorrow)! We then helped cook lunch! We had some fried chicken, homemade fries, and salad! Daniella also baked chocolate cake which was delicious! 

While we were cooking and eating we got to have very fruitful conversation! It started with laughter, mostly because I guess I have “weird” answers to questions like “What is my favorite animal?”. After so much laughter I was brought to tears we were able to have deeper conversation. We learned about Daniella’s story, the hardships and how the Lord has worked through them. I was able to relate to a part of her story so I was able to share my experience and encourage Daniella through hardships. It was so cool to see the Lord moving in bringing me to this home to share His goodness with His people. Just after lunch we said our goodbyes and we headed back to the church. 

We headed back to where we are staying and had a good and chaotic debrief! Impromptu worship happened but I checked out for the night as a good nights rest is needed! Prayers for energy and rest for this team to continue working hard as we continue serving the local community here in country!

-Jess

Hi friends and fam! Today we started off strong with some breakfast and then headed to Dios es Amor church. We had orientation and got to meet many of there amazing staff!!! Today, part of our team was assigned to paint a court for the community. They had tons of fun getting to bond with Luis one of the leaders at the church. 

Garrett, Ryan and I were able to go do a home visit and met the kindest family. We met Kayla, Carlos, and their son Daniel. They shared their struggles and were very open and vulnerable with us. We were able to see how rooted they are in their faith and how receptive they were to us and sharing Gods word. Carlos taught me how to make arrepas which we so good! We later then went to get dinner at a super cool outside food garden with several restaurants. We watched the Brazil vs Ecuador soccer game and I ate some bomb tacos.
– Gabriella

Hi,

Today was such a fun day! Because yesterday we had so many fun activities planned, we got the chance to sleep in a little longer, which I very much appreciated. 

After we all got ready, we headed over to lunch where we had Italian food. I had the fettuccine chicken with white sauce which was very delicious. 

Then we headed over to La Roca to finish some projects we had left but we arrived too early so we went to a little market where we grabbed ice cream, I got coconut. 

Then we headed back, this time at La Roca, we didn’t have to split into two groups we all got the chance to build the ramp. It was really cool seeing how our team was able to lock in and get everything done. We had a routine locked almost immediately and got the ramp done! La Roca staff allowed us to sign the ramp and leave a little mark on their skate park.

After we finished, we hung around for a while, some skated, others played card games. I watched Lillie, Katelyn, Lauren, and Cole learn new tricks on the skateboard.  I heard that the mao game got very interesting but I could tell they had a lot of fun.

Before we left for dinner, we got a chance to pray for La Roca and their ministry, they even gave us cool bracelets. The goodbye was bittersweet, we were all sad to leave but we were happy we made such great connections with everyone.

For dinner, we had the options of chicken, beef, or pork with a side of rice and lentils. I had the chicken, with this incredible homemade mayo sauce as well as some kind of spicy sauce. They even ordered some ceviche for the table to try. 

When we went to hop in the bus, we all realized that the bus was stuck between a wall and a truck. Like the back of the truck was extremely close to the front of the bus, maybe a one and a half foot size of a gap. I assumed we were going to have to wait it out but the driver went for it. He had a guy outside guiding him, and it only took him two times to fully get out of the spot. It was insane!

When we got back, we had a beautiful debrief, where we all got a chance to speak.

I am very excited for what God has planned for tomorrow!!

Missing everyone,

Vivian