KINGSTON, JAMAICA — Forty missionaries from the East Jamaica Conference (EJC) ASI Missionaries departed Jamaica on July 29, 2026 for the Dominican Republic, embarking on their annual mission trip that will run through August 25, 2026. The team, ranging in age from 12 to 75, will spend nearly four weeks sharing Christ, participating in humanitarian activities, and growing in their spiritual walk.
The ASI Missionaries, who celebrated their 14th anniversary of existence on April 18, 2026, have made this annual journey a staple of their ministry—prevented only during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the deeply spiritual nature of their work, prior to their departure, the team held a consecration service at the Regent Street SDA Church on July 18, committing themselves to the work ahead.
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The team is led by Elder Claudette Genas, Women, Children and Adolescents Ministries Director of the East Jamaica Conference, who expressed excitement about the growing participation and the spiritual impact of the program.
"We have 40-odd persons, and the thing is growing. That's our expectation — that ASI missionaries will set ablaze Jamaica for Christ and the building up of the kingdom."
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Genas pushed back against the misconception that the trip is about leisure travel, describing it instead as hard, on-the-ground labor.
"It's not about taking plane like some people say. It's hard life — working in the sun and trying to get people into the (baptismal) pool."
She thanked parents for entrusting their children to the team and expressed appreciation that, through the EJC Communications Team's coverage, parents would be able to see and hear what is happening during the trip.
EJC ASI Missionaries president Lenworth Turner, who is making his third trip this year, gave the assurance that the entire team is safely in the hands of God. He expects nothing less than a full outpouring of the Holy Spirit through the mission team on this latest trip.
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A Decade of Dedication
Among the most seasoned missionaries is 22-year-old Brandon Edwards, who at 12 years old began what has become a 10-year streak of consecutive mission service — a full decade with no breaks. Edwards traced his commitment back to a pivotal question asked of him by a mentor known as Uncle Joe: "Why do you come to church?"
“At 12 years old, my honest answer would have been, 'Because my mom sent me.' But after a while, I realized the joy of serving God."
During a mission in Curaçao in 2022, when he was asked why he serves God, his answer and commitment has grown even deeper:
"I serve him because of who he is. Because he is the creator — he knows the beginning from the end, the Alpha and the Omega."
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When asked what mission actually looks like on the ground, Edwards described a packed itinerary: building houses for children and youth centers, setting up radio stations, feeding children, park cleanups, running Vacation Bible School, and preaching every night after a full day of labor:
[I expect to return] "...physically tired but spiritually uplifted. Because mission carries you to a place with Jesus that you've never been before. Experience it for yourself — don't listen to what anybody says."
The Young and the Old
At one end of the age spectrum is Rosanna Hunter, a first-time missionary from the Omara Rd. SDA Church, who admitted to being nervous ahead of her maiden voyage.
It's my first time. I'm worried, but I'll overcome it. Based on what I've heard with other missionaries, it changed them in certain aspects, and I want to grow more spiritually and as a person myself."
At the other end of the spectrum is Merlene Thomas, the oldest missionary on the trip at 75, who has become a beloved figure among the younger team members — particularly for her porridge:
“The first time I went, I found out that it is very interesting and it keeps you closer to the younger people. They were so excited. I do most of the cooking — sometimes give them the porridge — and they come back asking if I'm coming back to cook the porridge. … I love it, and as long as I can, I will [go]. God always provide.
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An Expanding Legacy
For first-time missionary Janelle Ludford of the May Pen SDA Church in the Central Jamaica Conference, the trip represents a new chapter. A classmate at Northern Caribbean University (Brandon) introduced her to ASI. When asked what she looked forward to, Ludford said she hoped to learn Spanish and to experience Seventh-day Adventists from other cultures.
Over the past 14 years, the ASI Missionaries have previously visited Colombia, Curaçao, Panama, Barbados, and the state of Ohio. Sent off with intercessory prayer by Communication Director of East Jamaica Conference, Pastor Theodore Henry, this year's mission to the Dominican Republic continues that legacy of cross-cultural service and evangelism.
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The EJC Communications Team will be reporting throughout the trip, allowing families, friends, church members and well-wishers to follow the missionaries' experiences.