Kostner Newsletter (Fall 2025)

September 2025

Dear Friends, Family and Former Team Members,

It has been almost three months since it began and 45 days since it ended. On June 16 and 17, 18 of the most amazing teens joined Paul and I, long with our other four leaders, for an “adventure of a lifetime”! On August 1, it ended. The memories are still fresh and they always bring a smile to my face and joy to my soul and sometimes those tears of missing them escape.

There were 11 girls and seven boys, ranging in age from 14-18. Nine were former team members, six had gone on teams with us before (including three of the leaders). Two (one leader and one team member) were our “grandkids” who had a parent go with us years ago.

It is always a blessing to watch the kids become a “team” as they go through the training during Boot Camp. They work hard, they learn, they laugh, they struggle, they deepen their relationship with Jesus. Boot Camp is always tough as they realize they cannot do it on their own—they need their teammates and they cannot do it without Him. And when it is all said and done, they see how the Lord worked in their lives, taught them to depend on Him, developed friendships and bonded them as a team. 

Our trip to Cambodia was LONG. After our Commissioning Service on Saturday, we flew from Orlando to Los Angeles on Sunday morning. We left LA on Sunday night and flew to Singapore (a 16 1/2 hour flight) before flying to Phnom Penh. After shopping for food supplies at the Cambodia version of Sam’s Club, we bused about 2 1/2 hours to our project site. Because of the frequent rain showers the base had been experiencing, the Cambodians students rearranged their housing so that the team could stay in dorm rooms. We had a nice kitchen (with refrigeration and a freezer!) and a meeting area. There were many animals—cows, goats, ducks, chickens, and dogs which kept us entertained. The team enjoyed getting to know the staff and students and the three staff children loved having the team around to play with them.

We began work EARLY every morning before breakfast due to the intense heat. After breakfast, everyone had devotions before going back to work. Our afternoons were filled with Bible study, library reading, free time, bath and laundry time and sometimes more work on the project site. Some days, the team divided up into groups, loaded the truck and went with the “Circuit Riders” to assist them as they did their Sunday school ministry. This ministry involved dramas, puppets, music, Bible stories and games. On Sundays, we would travel to a local church and the team would do a presentation and sometimes do things with the children. The team thoroughly enjoyed these ministry opportunities.

Our project was to build a dormitory for the interns and students. The columns and floor “borders” were already there. They poured the floor and laid bricks up to the window lintel level. They worked hard, despite the heat and learned to “tolerate” (for the most part...) the “orders” to add hydration powder to their water bottles and drink, drink more and then drink more.

Our missionaries and the staff and students were such a blessing. Their love for the Lord and servants’ hearts were so encouraging. Our needs (and wants) were met quickly. The team loved hanging out with the students and playing games, despite the language barrier.

At the end of our project time, we bused over four hours to Siem Reap where we enjoyed shopping and visiting Angkor Wat. Staying in a hotel with real beds and AC was “icing on the cake”. After a couple of days there, we flew back to the US for Debrief. 

There are so many good memories from this summer. Our back-up leaders displayed servants’ hearts—counseling, teaching, encouraging, discipling, pointing the team members to Jesus and just spending time and having fun with the team members. They were a joy to serve with and made mine and Paul’s jobs so, so easy!

The team members—so many memories of deep conversations, correction, encouragement, never-ending questions, and so much laughter. They were such an encouragement to us as leaders—their love for Jesus, positive attitudes, response to the hard conversations and discipline and their love and concern for us as leaders. What a blessing!

And now we are looking to the summer of 2026. We already have team members registering and we are starting to place the leaders. Paul and I are scheduled to lead the Madagascar team. This will be our first time in Madagascar and we are so excited! We are planning on having 17 teams (they are online at www.teenmissions.org)—please pray that every team is full of team members and leaders!

Thank you so much for your prayer and support that allows us to continue serving in this ministry! We are so thankful that the Lord has continued to allow us to be a part of this ministry!

Bismark, Luke, Lauren, Samara, Knox, Abishae, Rivers, Liz, Luke M., Ruby, Aiden, Sadie, Rachel, Hosea, Shannon, Ava, Natalie, Elianna, Bea, Amy, Luke C. and Sasha—We miss each and every one of you! Thank you for helping make our summer so amazing. Keep seeking Jesus!!!!