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.

Megan Sauder

It never gets old.  

This excitement that the Lord stirs in me to be a part of something bigger than myself... it never gets old.  

I first started going on missions trips when I was only 12 years old, and it was when I was just a high schooler that the Lord planted in me a desire and vision for using music and creativity in the missions field.  I kept feeling that if artistic expression could play such a key role in my own faith journey, couldn't there be room for it on missions trips?  And not only room for it, but couldn't there be teams of people coming together to use similar giftings for the Kingdom?  

Through Saddleback Church’s PEACE Plan Initiative, I learned about a way of doing missions that truly allowed teams of people to travel across the US and overseas and leave a lasting impact in the area they were serving.  I have been able to step into the missions field knowing that my time overseas has more direction and purpose than it ever had before!  

On my first trip to Berlin on a church-planting trip I fell in love with the city and it's people - it captured my heart and hasn't let go since.... I can't wait to return this summer!  My second trip was to Tokyo, and it was my first trip I was able to focus in on music ministry as a platform for outreach and encouragement to the Japanese people.  It was life-changing and life-giving to be a part of a team of musicians who understand how much of an impact music can have on the missions field.  

And now as I go to Spain and Germany with Ex Creatis, I will get to embark on another PEACE missions trip with a team of creatives who seek to use their artistic skills in a unique way to reach the lost and hurting of the world with the love of Christ!  I am absolutely blown away that the Lord has opened up the doors for me to not only continue to travel overseas in a missions capacity, but that he has also allowed my missions experiences to become more and more focused and intentional as I use art, music, and creativity in the missions field.

Excited to be continuing the adventure God has me on... it NEVER gets old! 

Steven "Scuba" Homestead

"Can I take a picture for you?"

That simple question led to a 20 minute conversation and an immediate connection, complete with developing inside jokes (Hey Boo!).

Out of that, I made a new friend in Berlin and was able to connect with her again while I was there. She even joined me at the newly-launched Saddleback Berlin. That sort of connection happened a number of times during my five weeks there, a few of them with artists.

I'm excited to go back to Berlin (via Atea!) with an amazing group of people who I love and who I can share with. I'm excited to keep discovering what God is up too in Europe. I'm excited to see who he'll have me meet next.

Cody Clancy

It all started this January; this is when I was invited to go on a mission trip to Europe with Saddleback Church. My friend, and leader of the art studio at church said, “Cody, I am going to be leading a mission trip to Spain and Berlin this summer. It is going to be a mission trip completely involving the arts!” Jason went on to further explain how we would be using our artistic talents to outreach to people, and how we would also work to help start an art studio at the Saddleback Church Berlin campus. There had been many challenges and changes in my life this past year and a half, so when I heard this, my first thought was, “nope—I am not going on this adventure. It sounds fun and amazing, but I am just not in the right place to do something this fantastic.”

I expressed this thought to Jason, but he just smiled at me and said, “Well, thanks for joining our team, man.” What? Here I, doubted myself, and Jason just looked right passed those doubts as if he believed I was to be a part of this mission. As I drove home that night I thought about everything that had just happened. Then I prayed and asked God that if I were meant to go on this trip, God would make it happen. Sure enough I attended the first team meeting and was sold! I allowed the thought of being a part of this trip to flourish in my mind, and committed myself to go. Additionally, my prayer has come true. I have seen Gods plan for this trip being intricately woven into my life these past four months. The time has flown by fast, and now there is only one month till my team and I go to Europe.

To close with this first blog, I want to express my happiness from being invited to join this mission trip. For it has been the preparation of this trip, which has been changing my life. This preparation process has greatly gown me as a person through character development. It has caused me to renounce isolation and to dabble in fellowship, it has helped me to better manage my time, and it has stretched my communication skills, and lastly—has caused me to come out of hiding with my artistic talents! Furthermore, I have come to see and accept who I am more as an individual instead of hiding behind the people pleasing mask, or being cloaked in fear of what others may think of me if I be myself—Cody Clancy. I am excited to experience and then share, what comes next. Thanks for tuning in.

Melissa Cheves

To be completely honest, my brain has been running in every direction possible trying to write this "who is Melissa" blog entry. If you were to superficially ask me who I am, I would say I'm a mom and corporate cubical jockey. Upon deeper conversation, you would find that I have a desire to restore and give a voice to the hurting. Excising my creative side helps me feel more balanced, and that my daughter and I are very Gilmore Girls like. Yes, my 16 year old publicly professes that her mom is her bff. Major parental win here!

Jenna and I joined Ex Creatis about 3 years ago. When the opportunity to join this PEACE team presented itself, it was a no brainer. I thought of it as an opportunity to grow my faith, grow as a spiritual leader and grow the relationship I have with my daughter. Plus I had stupid vacation time stacked up from my corporate job that never gets used by year end. Enter that credit card commercial kid "They're paid vacation days! Don't let it go unused!".

I assumed I would help plan interactive art pieces, meet new people and just be pointed to where help was needed most. Then Pastor Dave from the Berlin church visited. He mentioned the huge influx of Syrian refugees crossing the Mediterranean on rafts, and the unimaginable things they've experienced first hand. My heart broke for these people, and my eyes welled up with tears. My daughter and teammates patted me on the back and said "that's art for healing!". The classes I had been so scared to start offering because of my own ridiculous insecurities had a purpose that was was way bigger than I ever imagined. God sized need right there.


So enter growth lesson #1. Trusting the gifts that have been bestowed upon us are not random. They were carefully selected as He created us, and need to be used to love others and glorify Him.

1 Peter 4:10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.

Jacob Romeo Lecuyer

"I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain."

HEART: I’ve seen God’s goodness pour over me like a waterfall, and I’ve seen both my physical and emotionall being utterly incapacitated by the carelessness of man. It’s a strange, strange world we live in. Totally fallen and yet in the process of total regeneration. Just like me/us.

I’ve worn a lot of hats, but never have I felt more activated and full of joy than on the mission field.  I have been privileged to be a part of short term missions in Japan, Australia, Israel, Mexico, Poland and the U.S. During each trip I have experienced God activating my heart, mind and abilities and turning those dials to “11”.

The Lord has given me very special and personal promises about this particular trip. I wait in expectation to see them come to pass. To work alongside my Savior and the wonderful brothers and sisters who are traveling along with me. The Lord is so good, He is so kind, He is so, so faithful. I long to be overwhelmed by His presence in Europe, and “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”

ART: I work in the illustration field and I also lecture on topics related to animation, illustration and video game-art to students in Orange County, where I run a home studio with my two Cornish Rex’s: Magi-Cat, and Licorice. :-) You can view our work at: jacobromeo.com

Jason Leith

God first called me to combine my love for the arts and passion for missions while in India, 2008. A few years later, he challenged me to slow down and try carrying out this unique intersection in my own hometown before trying to take it overseas. So, for the last 5 years I’ve been using art in my own hometown through initiatives like Sacred Streets, bringing healing to the homeless on Skid Row and through directing Ex Creatis Arts Initiative at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest. Now, I’m excited to say it’s clearly time to take this toolkit of experience back to the mission field overseas. I knew God was going to send me back out overseas, but to have the privilege of leading this team of amazing artists is a gift that’s coming from beyond me. I know that this trip is a pivotal moment not only in my story, but in the story of the arts in our church.

Hollis Chiu

"Knock! Knock!" He knocked. Jesus has started knocking on my door since I was a kid.

"....."

Not only no one was answering, but I escaped Him through the back door and lived life my way. It's a fancy world out there, and it got me so lost that I forgot the way to home.  

I am a graphic designer working in the field of marketing and branding. I communicate with my audience with visual images and creative copies. As fancy as it sounds, I was just trying to sell a product/service through my work. For all my life I thought I was passionate about creative art, but slowly I realized the longer I stayed in this "creative" industry, the less creative I became.

In many ways, I was a lost soul. "Knock! Knock!" He knocked again. In fact, He never stops knocking.

*         *         *         *         *         *

I am slow in understanding what God is trying to tell me. Honestly, I didn't quite know why I wanted to be on this trip in the beginning. I was merely intrigued by the idea and wanted to see how we can "sell gospel" through art. It just seemed to be a spontaneous thing for me to do, so I signed up. But God is good and merciful. I feel that instead of using me on the trip, God is using this trip for my own growth. He is helping me to see more clearly every day why I am here writing this blog and prepping for this trip. Because of His unfailing love, me and my world begin to transform. I am learning and growing stronger in faith as I move forward with Him every step of the way. It's now my turn to go spread the joy and show people the way back home. 

This coming June will mark the first anniversary of this prodigal daughter's return. Although it's only been a year and she is still pretty young in her journey of faith, guess what? He's ready to send her off on mission.

"...I am the Lord, in its time I will do it swiftly." Isaiah 60:22 

A.J. Ranson

It’s not often that one gets the opportunity to do the thing that they love to do most, even less often one gets to do the thing that they love most and have it benefit The Kingdom of God and even rarer still is the opportunity to do the thing that one loves to do for The Kingdom of God in a place that’s 5,000 miles from your home. It seems too good to be true.

I first stumbled into the ExCreatis studio back in November of last year, and by seeming coincidence the Altea/Berlin trip was being announced that very night. I immediately felt like this trip was something I should pursue - after all, a trip like this doesn’t present itself every lifetime! I could immediately envision myself sitting with the people of Spain and Germany - getting to know them, connecting to them through my art and sharing what The Lord has done in my life. So after a lot of prayer, conversations with mentors and peers, and long walks around the block, I decided to quit my job as an art director in L.A., start my career in freelance graphic design and give everything I have to this trip. The Lord continues to surprise me in all the ways he provides for my everyday needs as well as for the upcoming trip.

Mandy Hinkle

If I sit back and watch a film of the journey that has lead me to today, I would say it's a cross between a muppet movie and a culinary/travel documentary. 

A free-spirited girl, takes on an adventure of traveling, experiencing life and discovering who she is..a Mandy or a Muppet? Along the way, she learns about how to deal with hardship, how to be a true friend, and how to ferment things. Every scene is progressive. The perception that this is a story and not just isolated segments, foreshadows purpose as we watch this unfold. 

If one would begin in the middle of this story, it wouldn't make sense (thus encouraging tomato throwing.) 

This next scene is well integrated, after a long dramatic montage of the girl treading through a desert on her way to the promise land. On a trip to Europe with some crazy characters, this little chef will learn, grow and do things she never thought she could! Even the audience can tell that something big is going to happen! Something so monumental, no one can contain their excitement! This is the moment revealed in the previews, that gave hope to this low budget indie film no one ever heard of. 

It's hardly finished, but with it's highly acclaimed Producer and His love for the film, I foresee this being Oscar winning.