Storey Newsletter (Fall 2025)

Dear Friends, Family & Supporters,

It is time to update you all on what has been happening in my life.  ????

The first week of June, I loaded my van to the brim and took my first load to my new place in Iowa.  While there that week, I attended the General Council of Christian Union, which I have only been free to participate in two or three times so far.  It was good to be part of the business of my church denomination and give a short report about the work I have been doing at Teen Missions.

The week before that trip, I was asked to lead the Australia summer team because the lady leader had to cancel at the last minute.  Since I hadn’t served as a leader for a few years, it took a little while to change gears from staying in Florida and being a part of the Launch Team to keep things going while teams are out.  I had to find my old Boot Camp/Team list and locate everything I had packed away.  I suppose because I am a little older now and my plans were completely different, I also took a bit to adjust mentally.

Boot Camp ran quite smoothly and we sent 13 teams around the world to many different countries and as many other projects.  It is always so much fun to see them all again at Debrief and hear about their summer on the mission field.

I had a great team of leaders: Caleb, a staff member, and Mari and Dalton, both students at the Sojourner School of Ministry at Teen Missions in Florida.  We worked very well together.  Caleb has been on several teams and served as an assistant leader several times.  This was his first time as a head leader and he had formed many good “habits” he had learned from other leaders (some of which he wanted to do himself and a few things he did not want to use as a leader).  Much more responsibility falls on the head male leader than any other leader. Still, Caleb did a great job of communicating with us and paying attention to the details and needs of his other leaders.  I was very impressed by how much he noticed about the team members and made sure they were taken care of.  Caleb and I tried hard to include Mari and Dalton in everything and make sure they helped in every situation to train them to be head leaders in the future.  I love them both and believe they will be very good leaders when the time comes.  They are the best in my opinion!

We had a super team of 15 teenagers who were ready to serve the people and staff in Australia.  Our main project was to paint the coordinator’s house, inside and out, plus a pretty big list of other jobs that needed done around the base.

The Australian staff, with the team's help, built a huge bonfire for us on the 4th of July, making for a very special night of fellowship with them.  The team also helped build another huge bonfire for the Bush Dance we were able to help prepare and serve later in the month.  A Bush Dance is a cultural celebration in Australia, much like a square dance here in America.  We were able to attend several churches and youth activities and serve in various ways.  Some were part of a worship team and they were really good!  Others led some games and most helped with children’s programs in some of the churches we visited.

We travelled to Hervey Bay and went whale watching which was a real treat!  We even saw a couple of them jump out of the water, just like the reels you see on social media!  It was a fun day for everyone.  We also got to go to Noosa Beach one day and walk up the famous Hastings Street in Noosa.  We hiked at Noosa National Park and later in the month, we hiked up Mount Tinbeerwah, which is near the Teen Missions base.  In full disclosure, I didn’t hike all the way.  Jason, our coordinator there, drove a couple of us along with his wife and boys most of the way and we joined the team for the last part of the hike to the top (And, believe me - that was enough for me!). Beautiful view - well worth the effort!

It was very nice to lead another team and be “in the middle of things” with them during Boot Camp.  Our staff who serve as leaders have many responsibilities in the running of the program and don’t always get to spend as much time as they would like with their team until they get to the field.  Caleb’s wife, Karly, and baby went with us to Australia and were a huge blessing to everyone on the team!  Karly came to Boot Camp most afternoons and relieved me of my duties for a couple of hours so I could be with my team more.  I appreciated it so much and loved being able to be with the team more than I ever remember on previous teams.

Next week is our annual Staff Retreat, which is always a fun time of fellowship and worship as we take a few days to talk about the summer and what we can do to make it better.  Many things, big and small, are changed because of these conversations and sessions.  One of my favorite things to do is when I am included in “dreaming” with my bosses, Steve and Seth, about how to make something happen or improve some area of the ministry.  So this retreat is something I look forward to every year.  

Then in October, I will travel to Zambia with some of the other staff to hold an African Summit where all of our African coordinators will come and have a few days of training and fellowship together.  It will be great to see them all again and to hear firsthand how things are going for them, answer questions and provide extra training for them.  They have such a good time together and I know they are all looking forward to being together again for these few days.

Now, I am catching up with my regular work at the office and working to be sure everything is in order before moving to Iowa.  November 1 is my planned moving day.  Since I needed my time off for this move, I did not take a deputation trip this year to have some time to get moved and settle in a little before getting down to business there.  Even though it will be hard to leave here, I am looking forward to settling in (just in time for winter) and I’m happy that I get to continue my work with Teen Missions from there.  

Once again, thank you all so much for supporting me and the work of Teen Missions.  I really can’t express how much I love this ministry and how thankful I am for your prayers and financial support that keeps making it possible.  THANK YOU!!!!

In Christ,

Pat Storey