Spring Ventures West 2022

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: JANUARY 20, 2021

What does it look like to live life on purpose? For God’s purpose. During our Ventures West trips we start with considering who God is, his eternal plan and purpose and our role in it. Do you desire to know God more intimately and personally? Do you want to know how to love Him and others? Are you interested in learning what it looks like to be a Biblical leader? What missions is comprised of? Do you want to be a small part of proclaiming the Gospel to people who have little access to the truth? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this trip may be for you! We are looking for young adults (18-25 years old) who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior that also want to learn and grow in their walk with Him.

The first week we spend in Utah is all about team building and training. We learn and grow together on the trail, in discussion groups, in evangelistic opportunities, daily challenges, prayer together and reading Scripture together. During week 2 we head to Arizona and are involved in all kinds of things that give a big picture of missions and ministry. From cleaning a camp to moving bunk beds to hanging our with Native American youth to encouraging/learning from current missionaries to speaking the gospel in small group settings, the week is varied and full of opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ to many who do not have consistent access to the Gospel.

Both Navajo and Hopi live in great poverty and deal with great addictions to alcohol and drugs. Mental health and suicide rates are high. There is a great hopelessness that marks these nations. “tragically, today only an estimated 4% have begun a relationship with Christ. After 400 years of missions effort, modern missions leaders have described Native Americans as “an unreached people group.” (On Eagles Wings Ministries).

We pray that God will fill the team this year with young adults who desire to know and love Him, love others and actively walk in obedience to his eternal obedience. The cost of the trip is $1600 all inclusive. Applicants must be between 18-25 years old. Hiking is a major part of our trip, so you must be able to hike at a good pace. If you would like more information please email Mary at cottagegirl72@gmail.com. Ready to join us? Fill out the application below!

September 18-25, 2021

God assembled a truly great team of young adults for a week of service and ministry for His Kingdom. The team served El Nathan Ministries by painting their dining hall, kitchen and one of their cabin buildings. The guys were also able to put flooring down in their retreat center, seal the roof and finish the walls and various rooms of their maintenance building.

The team also traveled to On Eagles’ Wings which is a Ron Hutchcraft Ministry. The team partnered with this ministry to engage and speak truth to a handful of Native American youth on Wednesday and Thursday evening. The team played games with the youth, invested in them, and spoke truth through Wordless Book Bracelets which we used as a tool to share the Gospel.

This trip also reminded us as fellow brothers and sisters the importance of encouragement and hospitality. Throughout the trip, the team was able to sit with the Toews, missionaries with the Hopi Tribe, the Dudenhofers, missionaries at El Nathan and the team at On Eagles’ Wings. The times with each of these brothers and sisters proved to be a sweet time of fellowship and encouragement for all those involved; God is so good. 

May 16-30, 2021

Below are some words from those that went on this year's trip!

“We got to spend two weeks in UT and AZ hiking, studying God’s word, running a day camp and having many laughs together. Seeing God’s beautiful creation was a great reminder of how vast and everlasting he is! God is good!! His love is deeper and wider than the canyons…” Abby Wenger.

“Not only was I able to experience the beauty of God’s creation and works of art, but I got to see the beauty of how God works in peoples lives,” Misha Davis.

“I will cherish the opportunities the Lord gave us to share the good news of the Gospel!! I have grown so much in my faith the last two weeks and look forward to continue to grow this summer interning with Cottage Ministries,” Brandon Sensenich.

“God was so loud on this trip, but as John put it, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one were to be written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.’ God is so real, so present, and working in each and every one of our lives,” Brooke Estelle.

May 11-24, 2020

What an incredible trip we had this past May even in the midst of a pandemic. God graciously opened all the doors to allowing us to travel and go out west together. While we covered many of the same learning aspects as in 2019, we tweaked a few things and added in a study on the Attributes of God. Planning a trip requires things to be broken down into chunks - travel logistics one day, hikes, team building, study guides, creation of materials, meeting prep and follow through, meal planning, coordination of ministry opportunities with our contacts out west all happen in different intervals of time. The process includes much, much prayer for God to direct and grant wisdom. So when everything finally comes together and the trip unfolds, it is always an incredible gift to watch how He weaves all the planning, materials, opportunities, prayer times, ministry and even the hikes into a trip that has God sightings all over it.

We thought that we would not have any interaction with the Hopi this year; that that opportunity was closed. But God had different plans! We arrived at our ministry site and found tables full of boxes of food to be delivered to none other than the Hopi and we had the joy and privilege of praying over every box, every family that would receive them and then handing that food out to the HopI! God is so good. Please pray for the Hopi! They live in so much darkness and need the light of the gospel to shine strongly amidst them.

That’s just one story. We have so many more. Answered prayers. Changed hearts on our team. Young adults wanting to live a life of pursuing God and not a double life anymore. Wanting to follow Jesus and throw off everything that hinders. We are so very thankful for those that gave and prayed for this trip! God moved incredibly and we are humbled and privileged to serve Him alone. May He always receive all the glory.

Check out our facebook page (www.facebook/cottageministries) to see more pictures and click here to read more about our trip!

May 14-25, 2019

What an incredible 2 weeks of learning, growing and serving as a team! Our pictures showcase the splendor of God as our Creator as we hiked and grew together as a team. Why is hiking amazing trails part of a leadership ministry trip? It expanded greatly our view of God as Creator, King and Lord over all. Sometimes when we would crest a summit, there was simply silence in taking it all in and giving praise to God. Other times, conversation about the greatness of God and our “smallness” would ensue. It puts things into perspective quickly and provided a foundation for our time together. It also gave us time to get to know one another in an environment that was challenging (pics don’t show the teamwork to climb up rocks or the perseverance to keep going after a lot of miles together or the patience needed) and encouraging (pics also don’t convey the conversations that took place, the prayers prayed together or the bonds of friendship.

During our leadership week, we read through and discussed 2 books together What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert and The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame and Fear Cultures by Jayson Georges. Each day consisted of devotions led by a team member, discussion sessions from the books above, a leadership session, solo times and evening thankfuls and God-sightings. In preparation for the trip, each member read the book of John twice and we read through that gospel again throughout our trip. Each day we had a daily challenge to complete that was unknown to the rest of the group. It was incredible to see how God worked through those as we sought to be flexible and stretch out of our comfort zone.

As we closed out our week of training, we were a much different group than when we started. Our week of ministry began at El Nathan Camp and Conference Center which is small camp in Flagstaff. There we worked hard on physical projects for that ministry. The God sightings were incredible and continued to build our faith and give us more perseverance as we worked on projects that were hard and /or not appealing. We moved on to the Hopi Village. What an eye opening experience for each of us. It’s doubtful that any of us came away unchanged by it. The poverty, the conditions and the fear and shame of that culture were strong and evident. It was a sobering reminder of our need for a Savior. We were able to spend time with some Hopi kids and one Hopi adult and to encourage the missionaries who have labored faithfully for 22 years there. We were challenged by their joy in Christ in spite of extremely challenging circumstances and environments. We headed back to El Nathan for another day of working before heading home.

Like any missions trip, it’s hard to describe, in words, the work that God did in our hearts. We’re thankful for the opportunity to go and to have our eyes opened wider - to understand Him more and to seek to follow Him and serve Him in whatever capacity he asks of us. Thanks to many of you for your support of us both in prayer and financially! You are partners in this trip. I hope you’ll ask us for some more details and stories of how we saw God working. We’d love to share more.

October 2018

Thanks MissionTwentyFive35! What an amazing week of serving and growing as a team, seeking to make an eternal difference!