Seek, Serve, and See: One Volunteer’s Journey with a Purpose

Seek, Serve, and See: One Volunteer’s Journey with a Purpose

by | 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 year, 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 helped 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 guys 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!”

Security and Success in Missions

Security and Success in Missions

by | Aug 9, 2023 | Places and Projects

Global YWAM missionaries sometimes find themselves overwhelmed by needs and circumstances beyond their control despite diligent efforts. MBI provides the practical help and training they need to thrive in the face of diverse challenges.

The ministries of YWAM San Antonio Del Mar (Tijuana) and YWAM Ensenada in Mexico work hard to secure their respective campuses and ministry commitments against potential incidents, theft, and vulnerability. They understand that maintaining a strong sense of security enables their teams to focus outwardly on their crucial ministry calling to provide Homes of Hope to homeless families and consistently meet locals at their points of greatest need. For this reason, campus leadership reached out in 2021 for professional training from MBI’s Mission 91 (M91).

Over the past year, M91 members Matt Praetzel, J.T. Pharr, and Luke Smith worked with eighteen individuals between the two campuses, including staff, directors, and hired security personnel. Besides helping them develop both policies and procedures and standard operating procedures, the M91 team introduced a curriculum to take the trainees above and beyond basic security skills. The curriculum includes laying the groundwork for the prerequisite training, physical capability, and baseline knowledge that allows multiple well-trained people to respond to incidents, ensuring the burden doesn’t fall on just one or two people. The training modules also include operations planning, de-escalation, mission debriefing, and incident reporting.

Importantly, the M91 crew helped the Tijuana and Ensenada campuses form Refuge teams. These are not typical “security teams,” a label Matt says “carries unhelpful stigmas and biases. Our philosophy is that the people training in protection can help the vulnerable and present the gospel to those who wish to cause harm. We train these teams to see Jesus amid people’s worst days and their worst decisions.” Rather than a hardcore security focus, M91 offers Refuge teams as platforms for potential life-changing ministry.

“We had an excellent conversation with YWAM San Antonio Del Mar’s campus administrator, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the campus itself. He specifically commended us on the fact that we consult with organizations for long-term success in managing crises instead of coming to deal with the problems at hand and then leaving. Relief work certainly has value. However, many organizations end up in the same place when the next incident hits. He was grateful that our services not only solve the immediate problem but also provide the tools and resources necessary to handle incidents themselves in the future.”

Mission 91 helps YWAM campuses face potentially dangerous situations while reflecting Jesus. As all of those MBI offers, their services enable YWAM missionaries to meet challenges, stay on track, and stay healthy in their God-given calling.

To learn more, contact us at Team@missionbuilders.org or visit our website at www.missionbuilders.org.