Each year, a large contingent of Auburn Adventist Academy students and staff depart for a spring-break mission trip to serve God abroad.
This year, 105 students and staff headed to Fiji to build a dormitory and a classroom, provide medical care, and present four evangelistic meetings (resulting in 50 baptisms) and children's programming.
A tropical storm over Fiji however, stranded the spring-break missionaries in Los Angeles, Calif., for 24 hours while new flight arrangements were made. A grocery store and a local Adventist church provided enough food for the missionaries during the unexpected delay.
Once in Fiji, local church members greeted each missionary with leis. Pre-assigned crews — for construction, hydration, laundry, medical work, outreach ministry and more — immediately set up and got to work.
"It's been the best experience of my life," says Krista Reseck, a junior from Port Townsend, Wash., about her time in Fiji. "The people are really nice."
Between manual labor, community service projects and cultural outings, students learned about Fijian culture and interacted with the people they served. Many local members expressed appreciation for AAA's students setting an example of how young people can respect their elders and still be involved and active in ministry.
"I pray that this great adventure begins to instill into every heart and life the importance of service and the understanding that individuals can make a huge difference," says Mark Weir, AAA chaplain.
Read Fiji journal entries at washingtonconference.org.
Auburn students and staff went to Fiji to help build a dormitory for Fulton College, an Adventist education campus in the process of relocating, and to provide outreach ministries. (Cheri Fletcher)
Besides construction projects, Auburn Adventist Academy students also participated in outreach ministries in Fiji including Vacation Bible School. (Cheri Fletcher)
Auburn Adventist Academy students learn teamwork, service and ministry as they work on construction and outreach projects during a spring-break mission trip to Fiji. (Cheri Fletcher)
