The Highlander

Doing Gods Work In Nicaragua And Kenya

Highland Academy Spreads God’s Word Around The World!

Highland Academy took two mission trips this 2022-23 school year! They took one group to Nicaragua and one group to Kenya during the February home leave starting January and ending February 8, 2023. Thanks to much hard work from the participants, Andy Wade and Will Labrenz, mission trip sponsors, and many generous donors, these mission trips were made possible. At Highland Academy, many students have the privilege and opportunity to go on a mission trip. It is always one of the school year’s highlights as everyone involved looks forward to it. This year, the mission trip worked differently because of the growth Highland has experienced. Instead of having one mission trip which is the normal mode of operation, it was decided there would be two trips to different places with different goals for each—one to Nicaragua and another to Kenya. This year, 14 students and three sponsors went to Nicaragua, and 23 students and seven sponsors went to Kenya.

This is a challenging undertaking. Students do not just voice their desire to go, and then it happens. To become a reality, students must raise funds within a short time frame, apply for and receive their passports, and meet strict health guidelines. Not all students who want to go on a mission trip get to experience it. Funds can be difficult to raise, and health requirements can be difficult to navigate since Covid-19 caused many travel restrictions. Prayer and donations are always appreciated during the mission trip time frames.

Nicaragua:

The mission to Corn Island in Nicaragua focused on the spiritual aspect of mission work. However, there was still physical work involved. The group helped start a building project for an Adventist school. While some were hard at work building, others were hard at work packing food and clothing bags to hand out to needy families. Seeing the smiles on the people’s faces when given the bags of food and clothing was touching and eye-opening to the needs that many experience in other countries. There was also a great need for medical attention. Because of this, the students also helped create a medical clinic. Locals from surrounding communities came to ensure they were doing well or to check on their already significantly developed diseases. A doctor with the “It Is Written” organization helped people by giving them medicines, being a chiropractor, checking ear aches, skin conditions, hurt or broken limbs, and many other medical needs. Students even made a house call to one of the local pastor’s homes to check on his wife, mother-in-law, and neighbor. It was a great experience, but it also showed students how fortunate we are here in America. Technologies taken for granted here are unavailable in thirdworld countries. Besides the missionary work, students also enjoyed many activities on the island. They tried fresh coconut water and ate the coconut flesh. They rode in one of the local’s boats and went to the beach. They went to Little Corn Island and relaxed on a beautiful part of the island together, spending the afternoon on the beach there. They could spend time with the locals, tour the island, and go shopping. It indeed was a fantastic experience. According to Anthony Verderaime, junior, his favorite part of the mission trip “was definitely the food.”

One of the experiences that touched my heart was the number of baptisms. There were thirteen people who decided to give their lives to Jesus while Highland Academy students were there, and we got to be a part of it. That was so awesome! Hopefully, even more, people will dedicate themselves to Christ because of their example. Pastor Will Labrenz, a sponsor and Highland Academy Chaplain, shared, “What I really enjoyed was the fact that it was this island that was cut off from the rest of Nicaragua, and it had such a unique culture because you had the Nicaraguans, you had the Creoles, you had the Mesquite people. So you had kind of three cultures going on so that was really neat. And you know, they were poor, yet very happy, and they were receptive to the message and to us being there.” Labrenz continued with how welcoming the people were and how excited they were about our small group of student missionaries there to work alongside them. The best part was how many people came out to the meetings!

For Labrenz, his experience just leading the group seemed to bring blessings and the ability to share the Gospel of Christ. He stated, “One of the most exciting things for me was a German couple that just happened to be at the restaurant with us at breakfast when we did the devotional. They wanted to know more about Jesus and the message we were talking about. We were able to share a Steps to Christ book that they were glad to get, so that was exciting.”

Kenya:

The mission trip team to Kenya Africa partnered with Africa Mission Services (AMS). There they were able to help with the construction project that included building showers and making trusses, brick, mortar and plaster. They also helped at a women’s health clinic where students participated in weighing babies and vaccinating patients. One staff member, Sarah Bagshaw, sponsor and Equestrian Instructor, and several students, including Esther Lewis, senior student, and Abigail Hosler, junior student, even delivered a baby while working at the clinic!

The mother named her baby girl

“Sarah Esther” in honor of two of the assisting Highland mission participants. Esther Lewis shared that “being in Kenya, experiencing the culture, and getting to know the people was phenomenal! As an 18-yearold about to graduate, I never thought I would get to see the birth of a child’s life at such a young age. Sarah, Abigail, and I could see the beauty of humankind that God created. Toward the end of the birth, Abigail and I were able to wrap the baby and hold her. It was a happy moment. Sarah and I helped the mother get to her room to rest, and she thanked us for helping her and wanted to name the girl after us.” The work days of the Kenya mission students often started at 8:30 a.m. and ended around 5 p.m. with an hour break for lunch. It involved much hard work, but it was worth it according to many of the students. The school they are building, along with the other one already in session, is opening many opportunities for young people in Kenya. It is a huge blessing for them, giving them opportunities they would not otherwise have.

The team was able to spend time with many of the children, and they were able to talk with them answering many of the questions that they had about life in America. Tian Carney, a senior student, said, “the kids are inspiring and admirable because they believe in their dreams. To them, the sky is the only limit.” It shows how we take all our opportunities here in the states for granted. They visited the kids at their school, and the girls of the school even sang for the mission group. This team also matched their hard work with some downtime activities. They bought many souvenirs from the people and supported multiple businesses there. The people of Kenya made an impact on the students. They taught them how fortunate we are and how to be grateful for what we have. About the experience, Lewis shared, “I was in awe of how amazing it was the whole time. I thank God for this opportunity because many people my age can’t get this chance. I appreciate it, and I cherish life more.” As well as meeting the locals, the group was able to go on a safari for two days. They saw lions, hippos, hyenas, zebras and more in their natural habitat. Overall, both mission trips went very well. Lots of memories and friends were made that will last a lifetime. I pray daily for the people and their relationship/ journey with Jesus. If we cannot meet those people again here on earth, I hope we will meet them again in Heaven! As Christians, we must tell others about Christ and the Gospel. Whether in our neighborhoods or in another country, we must share the good news. “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15 NKJV).

Maddie Schmidt and Jan Gonzalas

Music Festival is an event that many students in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference look forward to every year. This year, however, there was even more anticipation, as this was the first Music Fest since 2020 due to Covid-19. Expectations were high for this year’s Music Fest, and Highland’s students could feel the buzz of excitement as people started arriving on campus. Over 300 people participated, adding to the near 130 students currently attending Highland. There are many different instrumental and vocal groups that make up Music Fest, including a band and string ensemble, junior and highschool choir, and bells. Each of these groups are led out by professional clinicians who are dedicated to music.

Music Fest is a big ordeal that takes many moving parts to work. The students and staff have to work together to accommodate all the people that stay on campus during Music Fest weekend. All participants arrive on campus by noon on Thursday, March 2nd. Each group begins to practice their individual pieces up until Friday night, when the first performance is held. The following night, there is a second performance, after which the participants from the KY-TN Conference all go their separate ways. All these participants have to work together to make these performances flow perfectly, and they only have two days to prepare all together. It is an experience that many come