Mission Sabbath and Global Outreach Briefing: Spring Meadows Seventh-day Adventist Church

Executive Summary

The January 17, 2026, Mission Sabbath at Spring Meadows Seventh-day Adventist Church focused on the theme “Broken Crayons Still Color,” emphasizing the church’s extensive involvement in global and local missions. The service highlighted successful projects in Dominica, Belize, and Utilla, while introducing upcoming 2026 initiatives in Peru and Costa Rica. A central component of the briefing was provided by Dr. Tom Evans, CEO of Child Impact International, who detailed the urgent global crisis of human trafficking and the expansion of “Operation Child Rescue.” Key takeaways include the church’s ongoing $3.3 million “Miracle Multiplied” mortgage retirement campaign and the tangible impacts of mission work, such as the growth of international schools and the rescue of vulnerable children.

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Global Mission Impacts and Updates

Spring Meadows Seventh-day Adventist Church maintains a diverse portfolio of international mission projects. The following updates summarize recent successes and ongoing efforts:

Completed and Ongoing Projects

• Dominica: The church recently completed a major construction phase for a school that also serves as an educational center for the local conference. The project transitioned from basic footers to a large, nearly finished structure, inspiring local church members to contribute labor every Sunday.
• Belize (Billy White Village):
  • Education: A school serving grades 1 through 8 now accommodates 200 children.
  • Nutrition: Following a mission trip in July 2025, donations totaling several thousand dollars funded the completion of a school kitchen. This allows the school to participate in a government program providing daily nutritious lunches for all 200 students.
  • Media: The mission utilizes the only Adventist radio station in Belize, which broadcasts into Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, allowing mission groups to conduct live panel discussions.
• Utilla, Honduras:
  • Youth Center: A project stagnant for five years was completed, with a dedication scheduled for late January 2026. Facilities include game equipment such as pool tables and ping-pong tables.
  • SDA School Expansion: Enrollment increased from 126 to 202 students following the installation of a computer lab (40 laptops), a science lab, and a library (300+ books).
• Palau: Sydney White, a student missionary serving as a fifth-grade teacher, reported on the daily impact of the Palau Elementary SDA school, highlighting the spiritual and educational growth of students.

Upcoming 2026 Mission Trips

Destination	Date	Focus	Leadership
Pukalpa, Peru	May 2026 (Last week)	Construction of a church (walls, bathrooms, classrooms) and providing medical, dental, and vision services.	Collegiate/Young Adult Team
Utilla, Honduras	July 1–8, 2026	Construction of separate bathrooms for men and women at the local church; VBS and Pathfinder honors.	Christine and Luis
Costa Rica	September 2026	Partnering with “Alas de Vida” (Wings of Life) for community mission work in the Nicoya Peninsula.	Donna and Team

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Human Trafficking and Operation Child Rescue

Dr. Tom Evans presented an incisive analysis of the global human trafficking crisis, which Child Impact International addresses through “Operation Child Rescue.”

Statistical Overview of Global Slavery

• Total Victims: Approximately 50 million people are currently enslaved worldwide, a 20% increase over the population of California.
• Recovery Rate: Less than 1 in 100 victims ever escape human trafficking.
• Market Value: The average price of a slave today is approximately $90.
• Demographics: 98% of trafficking victims are located overseas, while 2% are in the United States.
• Domestic Concentration: Houston, Texas, is identified as a major hub, reportedly containing more brothels (400+) than Starbucks locations (168).

Strategic Interventions

Operation Child Rescue currently manages 30 projects across 17 countries. Dr. Evans highlighted specific regional efforts:

• India: A preschool and tailoring program in the Visigg slum provides women with alternatives to prostitution. Since the intervention, local prostitution rates have reportedly dropped by 50%.
• Bulgaria: Focuses on the Roma (Gypsy) population, providing group homes for children orphaned or at risk of being sold as child brides.
• Colombia: An indigenous project has led to the arrest of over 100 child abusers and garnered national humanitarian recognition.
• Tanzania (Falco’s Children’s Village): An orphanage dedicated to rescuing abandoned infants and children, including “Miracle Moses,” a boy rescued after being buried in a shallow grave.

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Institutional and Financial Status

The “Miracle Multiplied” Campaign

The church is currently engaged in a three-year “Mortgage Retirement Campaign” (2025–2028).

• Financial Goal: $3.3 Million.
• Purpose: To eliminate church mortgage debt to further enable mission and community outreach.
• Giving Potential: The church provides a structured giving guide ranging from weekly gifts of $6 to $513 to meet the $80,000 to $1,000 target tiers over three years.

Local Community Service

Spring Meadows has expanded its local “DNA of mission” through:

• Food Pantry: Recently distributed 177 bags of food in a single day, the highest volume to date.
• Prison Ministry: A new initiative set to begin in 2026.
• Quilting and Prayer: Ongoing “Prayers and Quilts” ministry meetings.

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Important Quotes and Insights

“Broken crayons still color… living in a broken world results in brokenness, but God’s love overpowers the darkness and shines hope into our broken lives.” — Dr. Tom Evans

“Mission trips are not just for the people who you go mission to… it’s a life-changing event. I feel that the Lord has done more for me than we did for them.” — Mission Leader

“There are more slaves today than at any time in history… less than one in 100 victims of human trafficking will ever escape. God is calling us to break the chains.” — Child Impact International Presentation

“Having beautiful feet is obeying the great commission; being faithful to the Savior’s calling and being on a mission.” — Poem by Cindy Wyatt