Local to Make Mission Trip to Holy Land
Updated: Feb 20
A Columbus County native is heading on a mission trip to Jerusalem, and she needs the help of the community to get her there.
Deondra Jenkins is the owner of the dessert business Pudding Pleasantries, and she and her pastor, Leah Smith, will be heading overseas at the end of this month to not only see the sights, but to be of service to the locals and plan the Women's Arise conference scheduled for the end of March.
Jenkins and Smith are with Chaplain Ministries of Maui, and they serve under the Goshen River House of Georgia. They try to change and improve the lives of people dealing with homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health issues. They travel the world educating, equipping, enlightening and empowering folks through voluntary acts of kindness, charity, and donations of love.
The ministry also provides a supportive housing program that combines affordable housing with services that help eligible individuals access housing resources.
The pair are set to leave on Feb. 27 and will return on March 28. If successful, the trip may become an annual endeavor.
"This trip is special to me in more ways than one. Many believers have the desire to visit the Holy Land at least once in their lifetime," said Jenkins. "I, too, have always had that desire, but I didn’t think it would come this soon."
While they are there, the women will be touring different places such as Gethsemane, the Wailing Wall, Mount of Olives, and other Biblical destinations. They will also be feeding Holocaust survivors and distributing groceries to the group, and lend a hand planning the conference for women of the area in the time in between.
Jenkins is excited for the opportunity to serve, and she wants everyone to know the impact of faith.
"I want everyone from my hometown and community to know that if you always place God first in your life, He will literally take you to places that you’ve never dreamed of," she said.
Chaplain Ministries is taking up donations to fund the trip. If you're interested in helping out, you can do so in one of three ways.
You can CashApp funds to $CMOMaui, or send a check made out to the ministry to P.O. Box 283, Midway, GA 31320. You can also visit the website at Home | Chaplain Ministries of Maui.