GO Week 2025: Puerto Rico
By Samantha DePriest
Earlier this year one of our GO Week mission teams returned to serve the people of Puerto Rico, the smallest island of the Greater Antilles located in the northeastern Caribbean. Puerto Rico is mountainous with beautiful coastal areas in the north and south. Our mission team enjoyed a time of fellowship, nightly devotions, and ministry days with Joshua Expeditions local partners. Students and staff were blessed with a time of serving the people of Puerto Rico while sharing the love of Christ. After multiple days of serving, the mission team toured Old San Juan known for its rich history, old forts, and cobblestone streets. On the final day of the trip, the students and staff were treated to a catamaran ride and snorkeling at the uninhabited little island of Icacos.
Lower School Principal Mrs. Sherry Randolph helped lead the mission trip and shared, “Our high school students had an unforgettable mission trip where they served with heart, humility, and hard work. Partnering with a local Youth With A Mission (YWAM) base in Puerto Rico, students rolled up their sleeves for heavy-duty yard work, painting projects, and preparing the grounds for ministry. They visited a local nursing home, bringing joy, small gifts, and loving companionship to the residents. At a local food pantry, the team packed boxes, stocked shelves, and sorted supplies to help meet the needs of the community. It was a powerful week of service, growth, and making a meaningful difference.”
HS teacher Mr. Mike Towson serving alongside our students.
High School teacher Mike Townson also helped lead the mission team and shared “Go week in Puerto Week was amazing. All of our students did an awesome job of representing TCS. I believe each student's lives were impacted. Our students served with passion and a desire to spread the Gospel.”
High School student Harper Gonzalez serving elders in a nursing home in Puerto Rico.
Rising junior Harper Gonzalez shared that serving in Puerto Rico was a meaningful experience for her. Harper shared, “If I had to choose one word to describe it, it would be ripple. One of the most impactful lessons the Lord taught me during our time there was how powerful a ripple effect can be when we serve others with intentional love.”
“One moment that really stuck with me happened at a nursing home. There was a little girl there named Samantha whose family owned the facility. She didn’t speak much English, but she quickly connected with Peyton and me. As we spent more time with Samantha, we began to notice something special: she was a light to the residents. When she walked up to them, their faces lit up. By simply pouring into her with love and attention, we unknowingly empowered her to pour into others even more deeply. That moment changed the way I view short-term missions. It reminded me that no act of love is too small to make an impact, because God multiplies it.”
High School students Payton Kareoak (front, brown shirt) and Harper Gonzalez (far right) serving elders in a nursing home in Puerto Rico.
When asked how she grew in her faith walk while serving during GO Week, she shared, “The Lord grew my heart in
ways I didn’t expect. One of the biggest takeaways for me was learning to serve without restraint, keeping my eyes fully fixed on Him, not for recognition or personal reward, but simply to reflect His love to those around me. I began to realize that when I serve out of surrender and obedience, He leads me to people who may just need a little extra love and kindness. Through GO Week, God reminded me that when we serve with open hands and open hearts, He uses us in ways far beyond what we can see: starting a ripple that only He can fully measure.”"
High school student Sebastian Yapor connecting with an elder in a nursing home in Puerto Rico.
Payton Keroack, also a rising junior, shared,, “In my time serving, we got to meet so many people, help build boxes for their communities and more! The Lord worked in so many situations that week. The biggest place that I saw God work in was when we were with the elders. They couldn’t speak any English so it was very hard to communicate with them. When we walked into one of the elderly homes we got to draw, paint their nails, and just sit there with them. Even though we couldn’t communicate with them verbally, the impact of us being there touched them and us more than we could ever know. They would have the biggest smiles on their faces when we would sit beside them.
At this same place we got to meet this little girl named Samantha. She was a big ball of sunshine and everyone around us could see it too. She would follow us around everywhere and teach us how to play the drums, while we would try to teach her some English. The elders adored her and cared for her so much! You could tell how much she loved Christ just by the way she talked about Him and how grateful she was for everything around her.
I grew in my Faith so much though that week. I got to see how beautiful God's creation is and how much He impacts others lives. I loved serving and helping those learning more about Christ and seeing their faces light up when we talked about Him. Sharing the Gospel with others is such a special experience and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for next year!”