by Becky Hefty | Feb 5, 2025 | Thrive, Volunteer Viewpoint
MBI has recruited and sent volunteers to global YWAM mission locations for decades, providing them the practical help they need not just to get by but to flourish in the ministries God has called them to. Not only that, our volunteers also thrive as they find their niche in missions! Here is the first-hand story of one of MBI’s current and most prolific Mission Builders, Ed Wandell.
“Four years ago, I was researching YWAM and other RV-related service opportunities. YWAM Lakeside in Montana got my attention. Another YWAM ministry, MBI (Mission Builders International), was across the road. ‘Let’s see,’ I thought. ‘Montana in the summer? Let’s go!’
“The help I got from MBI via phone, email, and their website, full of places and opportunities, began to enlarge my thinking. These and MBI’s flexibility with fewer restrictions compared to other organizations caught and held my interest.
“It was a God-inspired ‘leave this place’ time. God was ready to introduce me to the upside-down nature of His kingdom. I sold everything back home, bought a travel trailer, and jumped in. Many things led me to make such a significant change, but God gave me a lot of peace and excitement about what was in front of me. Since then, He has kept my service fresh and rewarding.
“Seasons of the yea
r, friends I want to see, campuses where I have good memories of blessing and being blessed, and places where there is a need are all parts of my prayerful decision-making process. I haven’t found a way to make a mistake yet! My biggest challenge is fitting in too many friends, places, and memories each year.
“So far, I’ve made 25 volunteer visits to 13 YWAM locations: Lakeside, MT; Faith Harvest Helpers, WA; Salem, OR; Chico, CA; Gleanings for the Hungry, CA; San Antonio del Mar (Tijuana), Mexico; Richmond, VA; Northwoods, WI; Tyler, TX; Cross Wind, KS; Seven Peaks, MT; Raleigh, NC; and Cimarron, CO.
“I typically serve in maintenance/facilities, which encompasses many jobs. But I have also hel
ped in woodshops, kitchens, food banks, and numerous other campus ministries. God has me excitedly looking forward to and fondly looking back at all of them. Now, that doesn’t mean all the work and situations were equally enjoyable everywhere—it means that God was in all the places and blessed all of them. I recently helped install a new liner in an active sewage pond. I’m still processing that!
“All the locations have had their arms open to welcome me, and it feels like they are holding on to my bumper when I leave. They appreciate the help and encouragement of someone investing one to three months of time and resources into their ministry.
“It’s easier to jump into their community at the smaller locations. Friendships are made quickly and more personal, and they feel our help immediately.
“I have been told, ‘You are not here just to fix stuff, but to grow closer to God. That’s the most important thing.’ That sure takes the pressure off to get everything done! And the culture of all these bases is to know God and to make Him known. It’s easy to make genuine friendships with that as a foundation. While each base has its personality, I love the YWAM focus on prayer time and worship. These gu
ys know how to worship!
“The past four years have also been a special time for me to write and publish a book titled My Father Journey. It’s not about my physical journey with Mission Builders but my spiritual journey of searching, wrestling, and healing. My everyday Mission Builder experience—a combination of physical service and community engagement—helped create fertile soil in me so that when I returned to my RV every night, writing flowed out of me. It helped add reflection time to round out the journey I am on.
“This stuff will grow on you. I call mission building my ‘seek, serve, and see tour.’ Traveling alone, I have ample time and opportunities to seek God and enjoy a growing relationship with Him. The serving is the glue that holds it all together, and I also get to see so many wonderful places around America.
“It has been a journey with a purpose!”
by Becky Hefty | Oct 21, 2024 | Thrive, Volunteer Viewpoint
MBI believes YWAM’s frontline missionaries are heroes as they engage the nations with the mercy and gospel of Christ. We aim to provide the practical training and resources they need to thrive in their calling. We also believe that our Mission Builder volunteers are heroes because they sacrifice their time, skills, and sometimes retirement to work alongside YWAM missionaries for kingdom purposes.
Here is the story of an extraordinary family of hero volunteers from Seattle, Washington. After Autumn Duckworth, her husband Ryan, and their three young children, Noa (11), Ashton (9), and Dakota (6), faced down Autumn’s life-threatening disease, the family chose not just to survive but to thrive.
Autumn says: “In April of 2022, I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. By May of 2024, after several surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy, my tests showed no evidence of disease. Summer was coming, and we needed a change of pace, a reset, a new rhythm, and a renewed vision as a family. We didn’t just want a vacation; we were looking for a VWAP (Vacation With A Purpose) where we all could serve and receive training as a family.
“The Lord directed me to MBI. I contacted Jeanette Brewster, and we began to let God orchestrate my family’s nine-week summer mission-building adventure. I’d been ‘prayer circling’ for a God idea/opportunity since January 2024. In His perfect sovereignty, He directed my attention to six YWAM campuses where we could serve alongside the local missionaries.
“The first was at YWAM Lakeside, Montana, where we enjoyed serving on the Facilities team. One highlight at the campus was watching the DTS School of Dance perform the beautiful production of The Story of Creation to Resurrection. Seeing so many young people worship Jesus freely through the creative arts was so impactful for my three children. 
“Next was YWAM Cascade, Idaho, for a week-long Family DTS, where we learned how to take our brokenness, unique passions, and giftings and allow God to redeem them into something beautiful. Learning to speak shalom over our family also helped us recalibrate and recenter our family on Jesus.
“At YWAM Emerge in Colorado Springs, we served on the Grounds team. There were so many highlights here! Volunteering and learning more about their genius OASYS aquaponics ministry was incredible. We hope to partner in the future with this ministry, as it’s a brilliant and tangible way to love God and others through building aquaponics systems, enabling other groups to achieve nutritious and sustainable food security in a dignified way.
“We then went south to YWAM Vicente Guerrero in Baja, California, Mexico, where we partnered with Mexico
Mission Adventures from YWAM Chico, California. My kids were astounded to see the impoverished living conditions of these amazing people. It gave them a greater appreciation for what God has provided for us. Seeing my three kids work hard to bless this family with a new home was unforgettable.
“Next, we headed north to YWAM Mendocino, California, where we helped with the library and installed ventilation systems in the cabin bathrooms. This place is truly anointed. Morning prayer at 8 a.m. was such a gift! On the last day, the local missionaries spoke and prayed prophetic words over us. It was a life-giving encouragement to our family.
“Last but not least, we had the pleasure of serving at YWAM Chico in California after the Park Fires struck the
area in July. Initially, everyone was evacuated, but after five days, things began opening back up. We witnessed His miraculous work firsthand as we provided relief care and cleaned, rebuilt, and restored things to order. Additionally, we got to hand out food and clothing to some of the homeless people in the Chico community and pray for people during street evangelism in Redding.
“We hope to return to each of the bases during our summers for 1-2 week long mission builds to serve and bless our new friends! Each base provided a unique ministry we are excited to partner with for life.”
Are you ready to be a hero and make a difference? Visit missionbuilders.org and explore your opportunities!
by Becky Hefty | Sep 23, 2019 | Volunteer Viewpoint
At MBI, we serve in our roles because we love missions. For staffer Craig Blair, this means going the extra mile and connecting the local church with a nation close to his heart: Russia. Here is just one of Craig’s stories about how volunteers help change lives:
“In July I led a team of American volunteers (including 7 youth and the youth pastor from my local church in Montana) to serve at a church English camp for teens in Volgograd, Russia. God does amazing things each year in the hearts of the campers—many from non-Christian homes.
One young man named Matvey came to camp for the first time last summer. The atmosphere of love and honesty impressed him. When he returned in February to interpret for the winter English camp, Matvey became a believer in Jesus as his savior. When we asked Matvey to translate again in July, his mother opposed it. As a Russian Orthodox, she didn’t understand her son’s new faith and wouldn’t pay his way. Still, he found a way to come.
Our Montana youth did a fine job connecting with the Russian teens and being solid witnesses for Christ. Matvey interpreted for our youth pastor’s son, Payton, and the two became best friends. After camp, Payton admitted that he thought his Russian camp experience could never be as good as anything in Montana until he saw 
that God’s Spirit is at work in peoples’ lives everywhere. He was so happy to be used by God at the camp he said, ‘This was the best trip ever!’
I asked Matvey to share one thing God taught him this summer. He said, ‘God told me I should put him first in my life. He broke everything in my mind which used to be more important to me than God.’
After camp, Matvey’s mother struggled with her health and wouldn’t let him spend time with his church friends or go to the meetings. He decided to be a witness to his mother by staying home and helping her, even going to her job on days when she couldn’t go herself. When some of Matvey’s church friends came to help, she was very pleased and said, ‘They really are good people!’ Now he’s able to meet again with his friends.
Matvey told me, ‘Every day I say thank you to God because of you, my lovely family in Christ.’”
by Becky Hefty | Jul 26, 2016 | Volunteer Viewpoint
Every evening for the past several months, I would put the kids to bed and cozy up with my Chromebook and start searching. I researched places around the entire world. Looked at everything from medical missions in Africa to hockey camps for Jesus in Russia. I sent emails galore and received few responses.
Then, I finally came across something that seemed promising. A program through Youth With A Mission (YWAM) called Mission Builders International. They recruit short-term volunteers and match them with global ministry opportunities within Youth With A Mission. Mission Builder volunteers “lift up the arms” of frontline missionaries through practical, hands-on service.
This sounded absolutely perfect!
After discovering Mission Builders, my routine changed a bit. I would find myself looking at all of the YWAM campuses throughout the world, searching for one that could use our help and was willing and able to take kids too.
In my search, I came across the website for the YWAM St. Croix campus and read the following:
“We get it! We have five families on base and ten kids under the age of eleven. We understand the unique situations that families face, but we also see the unique gift that it can be to your family. One of the greatest things that you can do for your child is to expose them to another culture while they are learning more about God and how to serve others. It helps to change/form worldviews that are priceless. Kids learn by doing, and short-term missions is a way to teach them about serving, loving others, and God’s heart for the nations in a way that your kids will never forget. It is also a great opportunity to bond as a family as you work together without all the distractions that you face at home. This is also a good first time opportunity as we are a U.S. territory. If you are willing to take a “leap of faith,” we are willing to help you discover missions with your family!”
I sent them an email to double-check that they allow really little kids (some ministries have a minimum age of 6 or older) and what the cost would be to stay for two weeks. Someone sent me answers the very next day!
After months of praying and preliminary planning (time off from work, finances, etc.), we purchased 4 plane tickets to St. Croix! I am beyond excited and so incredibly nervous all at the same time.
My pride keeps telling me I should wait until after everything is completely said and done before telling what we’re doing. That way, if the entire trip is a horrendous disaster, nobody would be the wiser! But . . . being a Christian does not mean living a perfect storybook life. It means trying your best to live this life making a difference for eternity. — Jayme with Cory, Conner and Jenna
by Becky Hefty | May 18, 2016 | Connections Article, Volunteer Viewpoint
Mission Builders International’s job is to connect potential volunteers of every age and ability with worldwide service opportunities. God uses everyday people—like Phill and Pat S.—to accomplish extraordinary things in missions. As with many volunteers, Phill and Pat have discovered that serving has the added value of enlarging not only their circle of friends and family but their world. For them, retirement has become an exciting jumping-off point to a whole new life. Listen to what they have to say about their volunteer lifestyle:
“We have just returned from YWAM Berlin. It was the trip of a lifetime for many reasons, and we want to thank Mission Builders International for putting us in touch with them. Before we go to serve, we always pray that we will be encouragers, examples and servants. We saw God answer this prayer over and over during our month stay at YWAM Berlin.
“We served alongside Len and Lynne Benson. They are great traveling companions and work partners. The four of us complement each other and click as a team in every way.
“God used four ver
y ordinary people to impart hope on several levels, and there is not a greater joy! The staff and students, in turn, poured blessing after blessing into our lives. YWAM Berlin will forever live in our hearts. We were so deeply touched by them as they thanked us over and over again. They sent us off with a special blessing as they gathered around and prayed for us at the end of our time with them. We have gained friends and ‘grandchildren’ as we continue to keep in touch. The students and several staff are currently serving in South Africa on outreach. We are blessed to have the joy of praying for them, and seeing God at work in their lives equals joy!
“We have served more than 20 times at various YWAM campuses. We always say there is nothing spiritual about dry walling, tiling, painting, electric, cooking and so on, but there is great spiritual value in making it possible for young people to be discipled to go into all the world to share the gospel. Of course, we can’t go everywhere, but we can go where God leads.
“If the Lord tarries and our health continues, we hope we can continue to invest in the lives of young people. We love encouraging the staff so that they, in turn, can spend their time teaching the Word and preparing others to serve. There is no greater retirement! And there is no greater joy than to impart hope to those who might be on the verge of becoming weary in well-doing.
“Thank you for connecting us with YWAM Berlin!”
Whether you are retired and young at heart, in the middle of raising your family or fresh out of high school and taking a gap year before college, volunteering is a great way to expand your world while making a difference. See where in the world a mission-building adventure might take you. Visit us at: www.missionbuilders.org.
by Becky Hefty | Nov 2, 2015 | Volunteer Viewpoint
“Dropping chocolate chips on cookie batter is taking longer than it should because I’m gazing out the window at the mountains. It’s October 31st and winter is closing in here at YWAM Cimarron, Colorado. My husband Dean and I, in our role as Mission Builders, have just spent the last week helping the staff prepare for a remote, high mountain winter. Dean has been hauling wood for the various buildings and doing maintenance, while I
’ve spent all week in the kitchen preparing food for the freezer…and whipping up daily sweet treats for the hard-working folks here.
It’s always a delight to spend time at this well-kept facility. But way more than that, it’s so heartwarming to see the way the staff here is so intentional about making a difference in the world. They’ve all done outreaches to bring hope and help to hurting people in many rough places.
“Being part of the ministry of Mission Builders International is a richly rewarding way of living as we vividly see hope for the future happening before our very eyes.” — Dean and Molly K.
Where would you like to serve? Visit us at www.missionbuilders.org to find your opportunity.
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