Shirey Newsletter (Fall 2025)

 Hello Family and Friends,

We’re back, and just like that, summer is officially over! The past two months have been an absolute whirlwind, but I’m going to do my best to remember and share every detail with you.

On June 17th, Boot Camp began! Our team of 18 arrived for training in preparation for our mission trip to Colombia. To be honest, Boot Camp is a bit of a blur; it was that busy! This was Will’s first time leading a Teen Missions team, and while he got a taste of Boot Camp during our time in Australia last December, nothing quite prepares you like leading your own team. And wow, did he impress me.

During Boot Camp, I had several responsibilities throughout the property and within my department, so Will and our assistant lady leader, Rebekah, took the lead in managing the team, and they did an incredible job. The team went through various classes to prepare for the work ahead, including block laying, advanced evangelism, concrete mixing, carpentry, drama, and more. Every day was packed and exhausting, and I know everyone was grateful to collapse into their tents each night. I know I was!

After Boot Camp, we had a beautiful Commissioning Service, then boarded a bus to the airport and flew to Colombia. We landed in Bogotá on June 29th, then headed straight to the Teen Missions base in Silvania, Cundinamarca. Many of you know this was my second time at this location, and if the Lord allows, I’ll keep going back. The base is built into the side of a mountain, and the views are absolutely breathtaking!

Life in Colombia:

Once we settled in, the team quickly found their rhythm. A typical day looked like this:
6:00 AM - Wake-up
6:15 AM - Devotions
6:45 AM - Breakfast
8:00 AM - Begin work
12:00 PM - Lunch
12:30 PM - Reading time
1:00–4:45 PM - Work continues
Evenings - Free time, dinner, Bible study in Genesis, guy/girl Bible studies (every other night), and evening devotions.

Our work projects included demolition, sidewalk construction, digging, and various other odd jobs. One of the highlights was an evangelism outing in the local town, where the team performed songs, a drama, and shared the Gospel message. The outing ended with a lively soccer game against a group of 8-year-olds, and yes, they beat us… badly!

Colombia Team 2025: Leading this team was an incredible blessing. Will and I were so encouraged by both our assistant leadership and the team members. The days were long and tough, but the weeks flew by and were deeply rewarding. The teens we were discipling ended up discipling us in return. It was a joy and an honor to watch each one of them grow closer to the Lord and to each other.

To the parents:
Thank you for trusting us with your children. We were truly honored by this opportunity, and we hope you can still see the lasting impact this experience has had on them.

After a few days of rest post-summer, we got back to work for a couple of weeks before heading to Virginia for a week with our family, friends, and supporters. That trip was exactly what we needed. We were running on empty and just needed to breathe in some Virginia air.

One highlight of that visit was hosting a supporters’ dinner, where we shared all that God has done in the past year, where we’ve been, what we’ve learned, and how our support has been going. It was a vulnerable, powerful evening, and we’re so grateful for everyone who came and prayed with us for the year ahead.

Will and I have many plans for the coming year, though most are still being finalized. But we are excited to officially share that we’ll be leading a team to Indonesia next summer! This is a dream location for me, and I am so excited to see how God moves through this team.

We’re also in awe of how God has provided for us. Since April, we’ve technically been under budget for our monthly support, and yet, miraculously, every need has been met. God has provided through unexpected gifts, and Will has also been picking up weekend handyman jobs in our community. These jobs have opened doors for him to enter the homes of non-believers, and he’s had some beautiful conversations as people ask about what he does. What an incredible opportunity to be a light!

Even though summer is over, Florida is still as hot and humid as ever! This month, all the staff will come together for our annual Staff Retreat, where we’ll debrief the year and fellowship as a team. Beyond that, everything is still up in the air until May, but Will and I are ready for whatever God has in store. Until then, we’ll continue serving Him daily here at Teen Missions.

Blessings, 

Delaynie and Will Shirey