Our eighth Global Outreach team to return this summer, Southeast Asia B, is officially back home in the US! The team thanks you all for your prayers and support throughout this trip and experience!
Join us in continuing to pray for them now that they are home, asking God to help them settle into new rhythms in the states that are wholly centered on Jesus and drawing near to him every day.
Make sure you ask a team member to tell you all about their experience in Southeast Asia, they have many stories to tell!
Today, we sadly hopped on our first flight of three. We are spending the night in the same city as the beginning of the trip, but at a different hotel. Most of us slept on the plane (about a 2-hour flight) since it left at 6:45 am. We brought our stuff to the hotel, then went on a 45-minute walk along the beach and did some shopping on the way to this vegan restaurant that Diane and Dave wanted to go to… And then, the power cut out. So we ended up eating there anyway, and it was actually pretty good, just without air conditioning and semi in the dark. We all still had a good time. Dave ordered us a car back to the hotel, and we ended up in a clown car situation… we managed to fit 10 passengers into an SUV that had seats enough for four, plus a trunk with room for four… so two of us were on someone’s lap. It was such a funny experience. When we got back to the hotel, we had some free time, so some people went to the pool, others did some shopping. Me? I took a nap. We got dinner on the beach, shared and debriefed our last two weeks, and we did some more shopping at a convenience store before we all fizzled out and headed to bed. Before I forget, Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there! -Elise
Today was our last day on the island, and it was a fun and adventurous day, but also very bittersweet.
We got up early this morning to drive to a waterfall, and we had about a 1 mile hike down to the waterfall. It was such a sweet view, and we had a fun time swimming.
After having a blast at the waterfall, we went back to our hotel and ate lunch before getting ready to head back to the House of Hope to make pizza.
We had a great time helping make the pizza, and the house of Hope threw us a farewell party with a rice cake with sides that they use for cultural celebrations. They presented it to us, and each member of our team got to share a little something about our two weeks here.
It was really hard saying goodbye to all of the kids and staff because of how big of an impact they made on our life while we were here. We’re getting all wrapped up and ready to head back to Bali tomorrow and then back to California on Monday!
Halo! Today was simple but so fun. We woke up early and left the House of Hope for a beach resort a few hours away. The drive was long, bu it was good for us to catch up on some sleep. Once we got there, we got straight into the water for surfing, paddle boarding, and boogie boarding. The resort made us an amazing lunch, and we spent some time walking the beach, exploring, and just relaxing. After a few hours, we packed up and headed back to House of Hope for dinner, then ended the night with pickleball games before heading back to the hotel.
Halo dunia (hello world)! The morning was kicked off by a yummy breakfast and inspiring devotion given by Dave. After breakfast, the team and I met at a field for the last Royal Rangers ceremony. Once the ceremony ended, we headed back to the fieldworker’s house (aka coffee fuel station). After a coffee recharge, the team split up to help with various activities for the campers. I went to the sand volleyball court and helped with the semi final and final games, Elise and Kellen helped with crafts and coloring, Lexi and Corban taught the kids origami, Dave and Allie made balloon animals for the kids, Meeka rocked the hula-hoop station, and Josh went fishing with the kids at the beach. After a hardy meal (fish caught from the ocean by Josh and other campers, rice, and veggies), the campers said their goodbyes and HOH kids and staff helped clean up the field. We took down the zip line, bamboo structures for tents, cleaned up trash, disassembled a bamboo climbing wall, and more. Afterwards, the team and I headed to a bakery to get our breakfast for tomorrow’s early 4:30 am start! Then we went to freshen up at the hotel and headed straight to a cafe where we met up with the fieldworkers. Some of the team has gone night swimming in the hotel pool, while others tuck themselves in and prepare for a long day at the beach tomorrow!
Day Two of camp was flled with adventure: kids flying down zip lines, fishing at the beach, and most awesome, over 100 campers responding to the Gospel.
Our mornings typically begin with a few laps in the hotel pool, followed by breakfast and devotions with the team before heading to the camp’s opening ceremonies. From there, we split up and dove into a full day of activities: arts and crafts, zip lining. hula hoops, archery tag with padded arrows, and, of course, more fishing at the beach. With 250-300 campers and leaders involved, it feeis like a celebration wherever we go.
The food has been a hit: rice at every meal (which works just fine for me), accompanied by fish, veggies, chicken, tofu, and some incredible hot sauce. Coffee is always brewing at the Masse home, where our gracious field workers are based.
The team has truly jumped right in, learning enough Bahasa Indonesian to make connections and becoming best friends with the kids in just a matter of days. The night ended with a deeply moving Gospel message. While we couldn’t understand every word, the response was unmistakable, a great reminder that some things transcend language.
As faculy advisor, couldn’t be prouder of how this team has come together, serving the kids and supporting one another with heart and humility. One team member was overheard saying, “I wasn’t so sure about this random team, but I actually really like you guys. We should hang out when we get back!” Others chimed in with “We have the best team ever. I love you guys!” It’s also safe to say that everyone wants to come back to the House of Hope.
Each Jessup student has stepped up with leadership, compassion, and full engagement in daily outreach. Everyone is healthy, in great spirits, and giving their all.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we enter our final days here and begin preparing for the journey home.
Halo, Today, we got to see our work pay off in amazing ways. In the morning, we did more construction for the royal ranger camp, and some of us helped with cooking lunch, too. Later, most of the team went to the beach with almost everyone at camp. It was so much fun to build sand castles, and some brought bikes to ride by the water. After we had all the tents set up for camp, we had dinner and sang some praise songs. It was magical to see how passionate everyone was during praise, even parents and staff members were singing. Corban got on stage and got to share a sermon on Joshua 1:9, giving an example of God inspiring him to be strong and courageous in his own life, and the kids really related to his words. We all prayed together and had some more time of worship, and again, it was such a spiritual experience to all be together lifting praise to God. People who couldn’t even speak the same language were united by their love for God, and that’s beauty beyond words. Tonight, especially, our connections with the kids seemed stronger. We’re so thankful to have this opportunity to lead people toward God and grow in our own faith, and we can’t wait for what the coming days have to bring! – Kellen
Halo, as we wrap up another day here in Southeast Asia, our hearts are full, our bodies are sore, and our spirits are soaring. Tomorrow is the first official day of Royal Rangers Camp, and today, we continued preparing. From sunup to sundown, we poured our hearts and energy into getting the grounds ready, we continued in clearing out the land getting rid of weeds, roots, sticks, rocks you name it, we even encountered a scorpion, but don’t worry it was safely disposed of. The whole team, staff, and kids worked together with machetes, rakes, and shovels in hand to make space for what’s going to be an unforgettable camp for the kids. We helped build shade structures out of bamboo, finished building a homemade zip line up in the palm trees, and even worked on making a floating ladder. There’s something so rewarding about seeing God’s raw creations used as material to turn into something so awesome and fun when everyone has a part in helping.
It’s never a dull moment with the kids and their contagious laughter with never being far from the action. We took a little break to have a bow and arrow battle with the homemade bows made from pvc pipe! It was wild, fun, and an absolute blast. We also got to test out some of the other activities for camp, like giant hula hoops and slingshots. You can feel the excitement in the air; they’re just as excited as we are.
After lunch, we took a break from all the hard work to cool off and walk down to the beach. Words don’t do it justice. The views were just breathtaking. We explored the shoreline, collecting shells and watching little crabs and hermit crabs scurry around as we were walking through the mud and sand. It was about a 2-mile trek there and back, and though a few of us came back a bit sunburnt (noted to wear more sunscreen next time!), it was worth every step.
When we got back, the work continued. With just a few finishing touches, the zip line was finally complete, and yes, we tested it out! Josh, Kellen, a few of the kids, and I all took turns, and it was such a thrill. Seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter made every bit of effort worth it. We ended the evening and gathered at Mike and Diane’s place for dinner. The food and fellowship were amazing.
As we look ahead to camp starting tomorrow, we ask that you continue to pray for our team. Pray for strength, energy, and unity as we pour into the lives of these kids, as there are expected to be around 300 kids attending. As God continues to work through us, we see it in the joyful faces of the children, in the hands joined together to serve, and in the peace that settles over us even when we’re exhausted. We know He has big plans for this camp, and we are so honored to be a part of it. -Lexi
Halo! This morning, our team split up to attend two different churches. At one, the kids from House of Hope performed a play. At the other, they shared a dance that Lexi taught them. It was really special to be part of worshipping with the local community. After church, we had lunch with the pastor and a missionary who spoke earlier. It was a good time of conversation and connection.
With a couple of hours before the Royal Rangers camp setup, we headed back to the hotel. Some of us took naps, some swam, but I got to go on a little adventure. Lexi, Corbin, Elise, and I went to explore a nearby beach. The tide had moved in, and the sand was scattered with crabs and hermit shells. Before we headed out, we picked a coconut and drank the water straight from it so fresh.
After our beach walk, we jumped in the pool to cool off, and the water felt amazing. Eventually, it was time to regroup, grab our things, and head to the field for camp prep.
We left the hotel and met up with Mike and Diane at House of Hope. After filling our water bottles, we picked up a few of the House of Hope kids and made our way to the field. Once there, it was time to get to work. We started by bringing in bamboo poles while some of the guys began building the toilet area. Me, Corban, Josh, Kellen, and Dave worked on digging holes for the bamboo ladders that’ll lead to the zip-line platforms. Other kids were pulling weeds and clearing rocks to make sure the camp base was safe, especially since many of the campers would be barefoot.
After about three hours of hard work, it was time for some s’mores! We picked the perfect sticks and showed the kids how to roast marshmallows just right. It was so fun watching them enjoy it for the first time. Sticky fingers, big smiles, and lots of laughter all around.
When the sun went down, we walked back together singing songs, tired but joyful. Back at Diane’s , we had makan malam, which means dinner in Bahasa, and spent time in fellowship with food, testimonies, and devotion.
Before heading back to the hotel, we made a quick stop at Alfa Mart (basically a small grocery store). We’re all currently obsessed with these mango Vitamin C drinks, and thankfully, the mission to find more was a success.
Now we’re back at the hotel, ready for some much-needed rest. Today was full of worship, fun, hard work, and a lot of little moments that reminded me how beautiful this experience is.
Halo! We started our day by making our way to the hills, which over saw the island’s landing strip and airport. Once we had arrived at the top of the hill, we were met with an unexpected surprise. On the hill with us was a YWAM team (which was completely unplanned)! They sang songs of praise with us and the kids, and it was very special to see strangers united by unyeilding love for Jesus Christ. Once we said our goodbyes and parted with YWAM, we made our way to the King’s Village market, where we acquired all sorts of traditional handmade goods from the people of the island! Two of our amazing hosts, Dimas and Rachel, helped us navigate the market thanks to their helpful and very much needed translations. After the market, we made our way to lunch, and it was very tasty and enjoyable! Once we were back at the House of Hope, we started making preparations for the Royal Rangers youth camp! We spent a good chunk of the afternoon clearing brush and sticks that covered the field. The field needed much preparation, especially since kids at the Royal Ranger camp would most likely run around barefoot, and we can’t have their feet getting poked by roots! The day ended with lots of fun dancing and skit classes. The kids enjoyed them both and are excited to perform what they learned at two different churches tomorrow. Please continue to pray for our team and this island, and we all feel so loved by the support you have given us!
