By Dorie Panganiban

Like the disciples of Jesus who felt tired and weary—not only from their everyday journey with Jesus but from the various challenges of ministry that it had brought to them—lately it seemed every disciple of Jesus at La Vida Mission* (LVM) has been feeling that way as well.

We faced many challenging, and at times perplexing, duties beyond the normal preparation work that needed to be done for the opening of a new school year. With our currently small number of staff members and being so thinly spread out to accomplish the tasks—in addition to the exhausting heat of July—it looked like some of our spirits were dampened, if not totally crushed.

But thanks be to God as Jesus noticed His disciples were weary and needing to rest. I believe He also noticed His modern disciples at the Mission feeling the same and needing a much-needed rest that only He can give. How encouraging and uplifting to know that our Lord and Savior sees us and notices when we need help, refreshed, and rest. And how even more beautiful it is to hear His invitation to every tired, weary, and heavily burdened missionary to come to Him for that much-needed rest.

Honestly, yes, it has been very taxing and exhausting for everyone lately. But things started to change one week when we were reminded of Jesus’s refreshing and loving invitation to cast all our cares upon Him and to put our trust in Him. He alone can make all things right. He alone can lead and guide and bless all our endeavors and efforts to fulfill our mission. He alone is the reason why we are here. Thank God indeed! Thank Him for His intervention and help.

The week ended with a beautiful “Prayer Drive” and Agape Feast. Normally, we do a “Prayer Walk” around the whole LVM campus to pray for every building, place of work, and area of ministry. Because it was so hot, we decided to turn it into a prayer drive instead, which turned out to be even more beautiful.

Packing ourselves in the LVM 12-passenger van, we drove around campus singing Navajo Hymns and stopping at every building and area that we wanted to pray for. Each staff member was asked ahead of time to choose a place to pray for, so, when we stopped for prayer, we didn’t have to ask who wanted to pray.

We started from the Mission Administrative Building and traveled to the parking lot with our vehicles. Then we went to the school, cafeteria, playground, gym, and clinic; boys’ and girls’ dorm, the ark (maintenance building), food cellar, and water tank; staff housing, guest house, barn, green house, water well, and the community hydrant. We then went to the community service center and ended at the La Vida Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church.

After the Prayer Drive, everyone went to the church fellowship room where Steve Nelson, the new Farmington District pastor, delivered a beautiful and inspiring message to all and led us in the Communion Service and the Agape Feast. It was a solemn moment of reflection, surrender, and re-dedication to God, and a recommitment of our lives for another year of ministry with our students and community family.

What better way indeed to start the new school year but to answer our Lord’s invitation to come to Him in love, in faith, and in joy in His service. Please continue to keep your missionary friends at La Vida Mission in your prayers. This, we greatly need.

* La Vida Mission is a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church but are not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

—Dorie Panganiban is the La Vida Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church head elder and 2025 Native Camp Meeting coordinator. Photos supplied.