Portland Adventist Academy (PAA) in Portland, Oregon, students participated in five different mission trips during spring break. One of the trips brought 17 students, parents and staff on a unique service adventure to the Bahama Islands.
PAA’s young travelers joined American missionaries stationed in the Bahamas for a “Sail and Serve” mission trip. They lived on the mission boat and sailed between several islands to work on a variety of service projects.
Projects included cooking and cleaning at an AIDS and terminal-patient center, taking a group of disabled orphans on a field trip, pouring concrete for a community basketball court, making signs for villages, beach cleanup at the Bahamas National Park, roofing work, and leading ministry programs for orphans.
Students enjoyed meeting locals, learning the culture, and discovering what it takes to live on and navigate a sailboat. But in the end, it was the joy of service and friendship that students brought home to PAA.
“I met a sweet little girl who became one of my new friends," says Charli Jo Davis, PAA freshman, “and a couple of women who taught me how to plait, and another woman who braided cornrows in my hair. It was beautiful. That was my first but definitely not my last mission trip.”
PAA senior Lanessa Long became fast friends with a young girl. “She didn't talk very much, but she loved to sing,” explains Long. “We played lots together, and I got to see how caring she was for the other kids and she was obedient to the teachers. I got to see her take everything in and just listen to what everyone was saying, while she herself would simply smile and respond with her actions and with very few words.”
“There was a phrase the group leader told us before we went to work,” said Long. “It’s to ‘be a mission wherever you go and when necessary use words.’ That's definitely what happened to me. Sail and Serve was the greatest experience and best adventure of my life,” said Long.
PAA students (from left) Charli Jo Davis, Issabelle Ciseneros, Tryce Thomas and Lanessa Long participate in a truly unique service adventure on a sailboat.
PAA senior Lanessa Long says Sail and Serve and this young girl taught her to "be a mission wherever you go and when necessary use words."
PAA students enjoy connecting with and befriending middle school orphans.
PAA senior Issabelle Cisenero helps make cement for a new community basketball court in a small village.
PAA students took middle school orphans on a field trip to Pig Island.
Friendly and hungry pigs roam some islands and beg food off of tourists.
Kyle Zimmerman, PAA senior, help with children’s ministry at one island.
PAA students like Jake Voshell (left) and Anna Kennedy (right) built friendships through the children’s ministry time on their mission trip.
Students lived on this sailboat for a week. They learned the ways of living at sea, including cramped quarters and sea sickness.
(From left) Lanessa Long, Issabelle Ciseneros and Jake Voshell don't mind sweat, cement dust and battle scars as they help the tiny island villages with hard labor.
PAA students had the chance to connect with and befriend orphans.
Farming and raising livestock are one of the main income resources for the islanders. Many friendly pigs roam free and seek scraps of food handed out by tourists.
Portland Adventist Academy students spent five days living on a missionary boat that launched daily service activities at various villages and islands.
PAA seniors Issabelle Ciseneros (left) and Lanessa Long spent their last PAA mission trip leading their schoolmates with great spirits and attitudes throughout the hot weather and hard work.
(From left) Charli Jo Davis, Issabelle Ciseneros, Tryce Thomas and Lanessa Long journey on a unique Sail and Serve mission launch, which took them to an AIDS and terminal-patient center, to small villages in need of basic infrastructure improvements, and to orphanages where special new friendships taught lifelong lessons about “being a mission wherever you go.”
