Adventist Church in Australia Sends Volunteer Teams to Laos

The Australian Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (AUC) has continued to support mission in Laos by sending “Service To Others Really Matters” (STORMCo) volunteers to three different locations from July 1 to 21.

STORMCo is an initiative that allows youth and young adults to visit and serve communities, presenting Christian faith in action and building long-term relationships.

The mission trip is part of an annual initiative by the AUC as part of their global mission partnership program with the church’s Southeastern Asian Union Mission and Timor Leste Mission. It was the second of its kind to be run in Laos.

The first group this year, a small team of four volunteers, including staff from AUC, was hosted by Eliyah Language Centre (ELC), which facilitates English language classes for local high school and university-aged students. While there, the team hosted teacher training sessions and participated in team-building activities.

Six volunteers from Melbourne and Canberra, who formed the second group, were hosted by Phonsavan’s Namtipsavan Bilingual School, a kindergarten, primary school — up to grade 5 — and an English language center located in Xiangkhouang Province. The team conducted a STORMCo/VBS program with more than 100 junior and teen young people in attendance.

The third group, formed by 10 student volunteers from Avondale University, was hosted by Namtipsavan English Language Center in Luang Prabang Province. While there, the team conducted a STORMCo program, trained teachers, and assisted in the classrooms.

AUC media project officer and associate ministerial director Murray Hunter talked about the impact of the initiative. “All three groups did famously great. Their contribution to the local communities they served was significant and made a positive difference — and that’s what really matters.”

Participant Eh Tha Yu Soe said the experience was transformative. “When I first heard about the STORMCo trip to Laos, I was thrilled. The experience turned out to be even more amazing than I had imagined. I loved everything about the trip: the friendly people, the happy kids, my wonderful team, and of course, the delicious food.”

“It was an unforgettable adventure that touched my heart and showed me the beauty of connecting with others.”

She also encouraged others to join the project. “If you’re looking to serve and also want to experience a new culture and travel to a different part of the world, I would recommend STORMCo.”

The AUC is planning five STORMCo mission trips to Laos in 2025, continuing to expand the reach of their community programs.

The original version of this story was posted on Adventist Record.