“Oh, you’re back. How was your vacation?” This is something we hear a lot when we return from traveling overseas. Many people assume our work is like a fun vacation. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. While we do love our travels—the places we visit, the people we meet, and the amazing work we witness—it is also a challenging journey filled with struggles. When you’re doing the Lord’s work, the devil often works overtime to deter you from your ministry. But that just means you’re doing something right.

One such experience took place when we were in the province of Papua, Indonesia, with AAI (Adventist Aviation Indonesia).

Papua is home to more than 40 uncontacted tribes and AAI’s mission is to reach these remote communities, providing much-needed aid and support. In November 2023, pilot Gary Roberts flew us to a village about an hour from AAI’s headquarters in Jayapura. The airstrips in these mountains are already among the most difficult in the world, and this one had recently suffered a mudslide, limiting pilots to only the upper half of the runway.

We had landed in Indonesia only the day before, running on very little sleep and fighting off jet lag. There was no time to ease into the time change. The next day we were boarding the AAI flight into the mountains. By the end of that first day, we had been awake for over 20+ hours, spending every moment filming, flying, hiking, and interacting with the locals. We were exhausted, but there was too much to do, too many stories to capture.

The people we met in this village were unlike any we had encountered before. Their history is marked by tribal warfare and even cannibalism—yet today, they are hearing the gospel, and their lives are being transformed.

We wasted no time diving into our work, capturing footage and learning from the locals. But pushing too hard too fast took its toll. The high-altitude sun was merciless. Our unaccustomed skin burned quickly, and by the time we realized what was happening, the damage was already done. Despite layering up with our clothes the next day, we were left battling low-grade fevers and exhaustion from the intense sun exposure. Despite the discomfort, we pressed on, determined to complete the work we had come to do.

And we’re glad we did. What we discovered was incredible—mission workers dedicated to education, medical care, and friendship evangelism, bringing hope to some of the most isolated people in the world.

So yes, there are many things we love about traveling around the world, but it is no vacation. There are numerous trials and struggles along the way—this one being a very minor challenge compared to some others. In the end, however, the stories we hear and are able to bring back to share with you make all the conflict worthwhile.

For the missionaries we document—the ones facing true trials every day—their answer is the same. The work is worth it.

This is why we started this ministry—to bring the stories of not just the successes but the trials of mission work to light, so that we can all contribute in any way we can. Whether that means donating to these organizations, sharing their stories with others, or simply praying.