Kelly Newsletter (Fall 2025)

Hello from the Kellys!

It’s been quite an eventful couple of months since our last newsletter. Back in June, we started our summer program here at Teen Missions. We had a team of 17 kids between the ages of 13-18, along with a total of six leaders. Overall, it was a challenging but rewarding summer.

Germany was absolutely beautiful—with rolling hills and windmills as far as the eye could see. We also met lots of wonderful people at the camp where we worked and stayed, Siloah. Our project involved painting the outsides of multiple buildings clumped together and various other agricultural and maintenance projects around Siloah.

One of the most impactful experiences we had in Germany was visiting the concentration camp, Buchenwald. While it wasn’t a death camp, over 50,000 people still lost their lives there. It was a somber and sobering place, where many suffered greatly at the hands of the Nazis. As leaders, we weren’t sure how the team would react to visiting the camp, but we were genuinely impressed by their maturity and the deep, thoughtful conversations they had afterwards.

Another highlight of our trip was visiting Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, where Martin Luther translated parts of the Bible. He stayed there from 1521 to 1522 after his defiance at the Diet of Worms. According to Google, he was “kidnapped” by guards under orders from Frederick the Wise, Duke of Saxony, for his own protection.

Part of the fun of visiting the castle was the hike to get there. The team hiked for about an hour through the Drachenschlucht (or Dragon Gorge) toward what we thought was the castle. As we reached the top of a big hill, expecting to see it, we were pointed back the way we had come. Very far in the distance was a picturesque view of the castle, at which point we realized we had only hiked to the view of the castle, and still had several hours of hiking ahead of us to reach it! That day, the team got their fair share of both natural beauty and exercise—lots of exercise.

After the summer ended, Judah and I headed to New Mexico to visit his grandparents. They live in a quaint mountain town that looks like it came straight from a postcard. We spent a week there resting, sightseeing, and enjoying fellowship.

Some highlights included visiting a fire lookout tower nestled high in the mountains overlooking the town, and riding a mountain coaster that carried us up the mountain before launching us down. That was super fun! We also attended a dinner and Western show that was both tasty and entertaining. One of the most special moments was celebrating our 2nd anniversary during one of our last days there. Overall, we had a great time and felt so blessed by Judah’s grandparents and the time we spent together.

As we look ahead, there’s not much in the way of big events just yet. We’ve returned to the Teen Missions office to wrap up odds and ends from this past summer and begin preparing for the next. Judah and I are currently searching for a new (used) vehicle. Our current car has been a huge blessing and has served us well, but with its age and mileage, we know it likely doesn’t have much time left. Please keep us in your prayers for that!

We’re also continuing to raise our monthly support. While we’re doing better than we were at this time last year, we still aren’t quite where we need to be. Please keep this in prayer as well—sometimes raising support can be stressful and discouraging. If you’d like to support us or have us come speak at your church, youth group, or event, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

My brother Liam is leaving on September 10th for a nine-month internship across various countries in Africa. He’s excited for the adventure ahead, and I’m so proud of the man he’s become. Please keep him in your prayers as he steps into this new season.

Again, thank you all for reading this newsletter and for thinking of and praying for Judah and me. We are so grateful for everyone who has invested in us and loved us as we serve in ministry. We truly wouldn’t be able to do what we do without your support.

Thank you—and God bless!