Jeffersonville SDA Church Mission Trip 2020

Written by Zanele Malaba

When then serving GYC Evangelism Coordinator, Tara Vang contacted Build and Restore International to conduct a pre-Conference mission trip. We immediately saw this as an opportunity the Lord was granting and accepted the invitation. Initially we anticipated 15 volunteers. The Lord had a greater vision and blessed exceedingly, abundantly with more than we had asked or imagined when He moved upon 56 missionary spirited hearts to sign up.

Our work began by contacting several local SDA churches near to the convention center where GYC would be held. The Jeffersonville SDA Church Pastor accepted our request. Immediately we began to assess the needs and plan out the work set before us to restore the Church premises.

Soon, the 56 volunteers descended upon the Jeffersonville SDA Church grounds and were divided into groupings and assigned various tasks. Some cleaned the closet areas, others the food pantry and yet others the Dorcas room. The loose paint from the fellowship hall was scraped and several rooms in the sanctuary were re-painted. This was a long awaited and much needed paint job as the rooms had not been re-painted in 30 years!!

Shanna Ash, who is a gifted artist as well as friend of Build and Restore International, was an attendee at GYC conference when she heard of the ongoing work at Jeffersonville SDA Church. Other commitments meant that she could only volunteer her services for a day, but a day very well spent it turned out to be. The church’s baptistery was also in dire need of a re-paint. Not only did Shanna assist in accomplishing this need, but also painted a spectacular mural that left the Pastor floored.

The work accomplished at Jeffersonville SDA Church was indeed great as the Lord multiplied talents, and energized the volunteers pouring a great blessing on the work of their hands. The painted walls and striking baptistery mural will tell the story for ages to come of how the Lord can use young and old to accomplish a great work. The only qualification needed is a willing heart!