Jenna Recuparo

Photo by Jenna Recuparo

I have always had a heart for the broken, weak, and those in need. I always seemed to have people telling me their problems. Maybe because 99% of the time I was smiling and seemed like a safe place for someone to tell all to? Maybe because I was more mature than people my age and I gave better advice or help? I'm not entirely sure, but all I knew was that I cared for them and they found comfort in me.

The arts were very much encouraged in my family. On my mom's side I have painters, photographers, musicians and graphic designers. On my dad's side, singers and actors. My main craft is photography but I also love to do all of the others listed above.

I grew up in a typical Christian family but did not have a personal relationship with Christ. I believed that he created the world and sent his son to die for our sins, but I didn't have anything that really caused me to have a deep relationship with him. When I was in elementary and middle school I used to dread going to church because no one liked talking to me. I was a rather shy child. So I would sit alone service after service and watch all the other kids have fun and run around with their friends. After awhile we didn't have enough time or energy to go to church so we stopped going regularly and I didn't think much of God in my daily life.

Until a hardship in my life occurred in 7th grade that lasted a good 3 years or so. I would wake up every morning and put on my "happy mask" so no one would suspect anything was wrong. I guess I was pretty convincing because no one ever asked. Soon my mother, yes my mom is Melissa and no we are not sisters, got me a Christian book and that soon sparked my desire for a deep relationship with the Lord. I began my healing process, I started going to church again, My mom and I joined Ex Creatis, and I became part of one of the best life groups ever.

In my Freshman year of high school, I began to crave to be a part of the church and make a difference. That is when I went on my first mission trip ever. It was a local PEACE trip with the High School Ministry of Saddleback Church called Impact OC. There I built an amazing community of Christian friends and shared my testimony for the first time ever. My relationship with Christ was at the highest peak it had ever been. I came back from that trip and my hunger for serving the Lord and others was stronger than ever.
I began to serve with my life group leader at the Motel Ministry and became a leader in my life group. And just recently, I became part of the High School Ministry's student leadership.

Then this PEACE trip to Altea and Berlin made its way into my life. I went to the informational meeting, afraid I wouldn't be able to go because I am only 16. But to my surprise I was put on the team! I began to fear that my fellow team members would treat me differently because I was younger. When I presented this fear to them, they all disagreed and told me that physical age doesn't matter, that spiritual maturity did. Preparing for this trip has been really amazing. God continues to show me miracles each and everyday. I am excited to go on this trip and further build my faith in the Lord and build stronger bonds with all my team members.