“I went to minister to these people, but it turns out I was ministered to.”
In January, the Hospitality House Team from Asia met in Hawaii for a week retreat, to be refreshed, to relax, to focus on rejuvenation to start fresh when they returned to the field to serve military people. Janet greatly enjoyed serving as a Cadence Associate in this capacity. Below are her words about the experience.
How did you first hear about Cadence International and Cadence Associates? I knew Mary Etta Reynolds [a Cadence missionary] and was involved with her in the past in hospitality and children’s ministry, but not in missionary work.
What was your service like from day-to-day at the retreat? Well, a typical day included shopping for food and going to Costco. I prepared a continental breakfasts and sack lunches. Also, I prepared other meals. We met with the Asia team members at one of the larger homes that Cadence rented. I was involved in sharing and Bible Study.
Explain what you took away from being involved. Being single again, being a widow, this was uncharted land, serving on my own. But it was an experience I’ll always remember. I went to minister, but it turns out I was ministered to! I was blessed more than I expected to be. You can never out-give the Lord. No matter how much you give, He always gives you more.
I was impressed with the team—how giving and serving they were. Two families were there with their kids and there were others who are my age and empty-nesters. I just love the ministry that they do, and by helping them get away and refresh, the servicemen and women they go back to win. It’s a win-win situation. I am looking forward to helping with another retreat in Denver in the near future. I realized that I need to be doing. I’m a people person I guess.
From your perspective, how can other people assist Cadence missionaries and ministries with their needs? Prayer, I’m an advocate of being a prayer warrior. If you can’t get out to serve, if you’re house-bound or anything, you can pray.
Also, if God leads you in any way, any where, give it a try. Serve. It used to be, or at least to me, that if you were a missionary, you were a missionary for life. But now there’s so many short-term trips and ways to serve missionaries themselves. I never thought I could be a missionary, but I can be. It was such a great experience. If you do it once, for a day or for a week—just do it!
Being a Cadence Associate involves serving the missionaries and staff of Cadence International while also serving military people. Want to sign up? Sign up on the volunteer form to get started.