Agape Hammond – Parker, Colorado … A group of dedicated student volunteers from Mile High Academy (MHA) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, set out on a mission trip to Belize, March 7. It was especially impactful for Newday Seventh-day Adventist Church in Parker, Colorado, as six of the students attend their church. For most of this student group, this was their very first time traveling abroad.

When Newday Church lead pastor, Lisa Cardinal, first received a sponsorship request from one of the students heading to Belize, she was more than happy to help; after all, mission work is part of the Newday way. But then five more students decided to take the call to serve.

In typical Newday fashion, Pastor Lisa decided to sponsor any others who asked. In all, five of the six were sponsored. As they say at Newday, “Newday exists to develop passionate Christ-followers who, together, love God and serve people.” That’s how students Gwen Loney, Eden Jaklich, Mady Lasut, Lily Lasut, Austin Huenergardt, and Wyatt Miller ended up at the MOVE Center and Solomon School.

When interviewed, Gwen spoke of her time there: “I love traveling to new places, and Belize is a place I’ve never visited before. I was looking forward to new experiences and adventures. I think it was impactful to see a new culture. I’m also glad I got to know some of the MHA people better.”

From Vacation Bible School (VBS) programs to painting to construction projects, students had plenty of opportunities to help the community. The volunteers dedicated themselves to various projects aimed at uplifting the community and fostering sustainable development.

Groups of students dedicated themselves to projects designed to serve. For instance, Eden spoke about the Health Fair, where well-checkups and eyeglass distribution were some of the services provided. “I got to help give out glasses. People needed something and I could help them with that. That was a great feeling,” recounted Eden with a smile.

However, if you ask any student what their favorite part of the trip was, across the board it was the VBS program. “The kids were so cute,” quickly commented Mady.

Gwen added her perspective on participating in the morning VBS programs: “I helped out a lot with the kids’ program at the Solomon School. I also led a group that acted out nutrition skits for different classrooms at Solomon. I think the most impactful thing was being greeted and loved by the kids.”

While their journey has come to an end, the impact of their work will continue to resonate beyond the borders of the community they served. In answering the call to go on this mission trip, each of these six students not only transformed the lives of others but also found themselves transformed in the process—a testament to the profound power of service.

Or as Gwen put it, “It’s an experience that you won’t forget. You’ll meet new people, work super hard, learn new things, and make everlasting memories.”

—Agape Hammond is the Upper School English teacher at Mile High Academy. Photos by RD Gallant.