Sarah Evans Newsletter (Fall 2022)

Dear Friends and Family, 

Praying for God’s blessings on your lives. The last few months have been very full for me. In May I had the privilege of promoting Teen Missions at a Florida Homeschool Conference. There were just a few of us who went, but the time spent there was rewarding. We got to meet many godly people and share about Teen Missions. 

Preparation for the summer for me started months in advance. I put together the literature bags for each of the team members. The Lord really was faithful to me as I organized the summer literature. I also helped get the dorms ready for the Boot Camp volunteers. That encompassed much detail and devotion. I also had to finish working on Sunday school reports—entering the data in the computer.

When Boot Camp finally came, I was so excited—seeing the fruit of our labor was so fulfilling! I was an assistant leader for the Honduras Preteen Team. My Boot Camp responsibility was the dishline. This involved setting it up for every meal, monitoring it during the meals and then taking it down and making sure the area was clean. I love the dishline because I get to meet the team members as they come through. I get to encourage them when they are discouraged. I also helped facilitate the cooking classes for the lady leaders. We made some tasty dishes, including cinnamon rolls. It’s always fun getting all the ladies together and fellowshipping. 

Another aspect of Boot Camp that I enjoyed was sharing about the work in Cambodia. I went to Cambodia in 2019, so I was able to share about the country. That was my first time sharing about a country at Boot Camp. I also got to share with a couple of teams about the Sunday school ministry we have overseas. Boot Camp can be very hard, but bringing everything to God during worship can be refreshing. 

So, our team made it through Boot Camp and made the journey to Honduras. This was my second trip to Honduras. We actually had a Honduran lady assistant leader on our team and she was a huge blessing! I spent most of the summer in the kitchen. I usually helped with the desserts and breakfast. I really enjoyed being able to help make the meal menus. We also learned to make some Honduran food. Getting to know the Honduran staff was really special. 

The Teen Missions program requires the team members to memorize Scripture daily. I spent time helping the Preteens with their memory work. Sometimes it can be very difficult for them. We were able to visit several schools and the Preteens did their presentations well. The presentations include singing, puppets and drama, and also sharing a testimony. We also went to a couple of churches. It was fun to visit the children in their classes. Our team also worked on paving a road on Teen Missions property. 

We had sightseeing days. One day we went to the Mayan Ruins. That was awesome! We also went and visited a hot springs. Another memorable event was when we went to a fancy restaurant. The restaurant knew we were Christians and played Christian music. We also went souvenir shopping which I really liked. 

At the end of the summer we had a few days set aside to unwind and take some classes at Debrief. I always love the classes because they address issues that we might encounter when going home. I led some songs for my team during the Debrief. Our fun day during Debrief was at a water park. The Preteens had a great time. We also had a banquet night and the leaders served the team members. 

After my team went home, I worked in the kitchen with two other ladies. We cooked the meals for the two remaining Debriefs. We awoke early and left after dinner. There was such comradery in the kitchen. It’s wonderful to cook for the teams coming in. I get so happy when the teams come back and we get to talk about their time overseas.

Staff get time off called deputation. We spend that time relaxing and telling people about our summer. I was so blessed to spend time with family and friends. I met people for meals and coffee. One family had my mom and I over and taught me how to make sushi. My mom and I spent time together. I also went to a birthday party. I love taking time aside to meet with people and share about our lives. 

Not long after our deputation, the staff packed up and went on a retreat at a Christian retreat center. We evaluated our summer, ate together, and spent time playing games. We also had time for worship and to listen to speakers. It was nice to relax together. 

I just want to say how grateful I am for all your prayers and support. Without prayers or support I wouldn’t be able to minister. Let me know how I can pray for you. 

In Christ, 

Sarah Evans 

A special verse: Lamentations 3:22-23 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.