Secretaries, programmers, pastors, treasurers, accountants, administrators, translators, nurses, and other professionals left their work activities in the South American Division, headquarters of the Adventist Church for eight countries in South America, to serve voluntarily for a period of 12 days in the restoration of the Adventist College of Eastern Paraguay (CADEP).

A dedication of service to God flooded the hearts of the participants of Mission Trip—Paraguay 2023 on Thursday, February 16, as they began their journey to CADEP. From 6 a.m. in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, the arrival of each one of the volunteers could be observed with great joy. Entire families, young people, and adults were waiting to board the bus that will take them to their final destination.

CADEP is part of the Paraguay Union, the national headquarters of the denomination. Thanks to Yuji Eida, a pastor, missionary, and educator, in 1983, it was possible to obtain the land where the institution is located. Officially, the Colegio Adventista del Este Paraguayo was founded in 1992 and is one of the most important institutions in the country, since it not only teaches classes but also carries out diverse church activities, such as pastors' councils, camps, and training meetings for members of local churches, among others.

The current director of this institution is Pastor Mariano Sanz. Today it has about 140 enrolled students. The students also participate in missionary activities, frequently visiting an indigenous community called Remanso Toro, where they conduct social activities and share God's love with spiritual events.

"Sadly, over the years, CADEP's infrastructure has undergone major changes. During all these years, the buildings have been damaged; the immensity of the school makes it sometimes difficult to maintain the facilities in their shape and condition,” says Micaela Paredes, English teacher and community manager for CADEP. “For that reason, we need help with the restoration, as we faithfully believe that this institution will become one of the factories of leaders for the Adventist Church. We want to provide better service, always with excellence."

Mission Trip—Paraguay 2023 was strategically developed by the Human Resources department of the South American Division and the Adventist Volunteer Service continental chapter. The activities the volunteers will carry out consist of painting and renovating environments, evangelism, and medical attention to the community. The nationalities that make up this group of volunteers are Brazilian, Peruvian, Argentinean, Venezuelan, Mexican, Ecuadorian, and Bolivian—all united, working for God.

"We have three main objectives in this mission trip. First, the integration of our personnel by participating in a service that is totally different from what they do every day. Second, the reforms in CADEP, and the third and main objective is to talk about Jesus to the people who live around the school, since they still do not know the gospel, and that is our great challenge," says Pastor Dieter Bruns, director of Adventist Voluntary Service for South America.

The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Spanish-language news site.