From Adventure to Faithfulness: Update!
- Joanna Patton
- May 23
- 8 min read
Hello friends! As I write this long-awaited update, I do so looking back on the Faithfulness of God while looking forward to what He has ahead!
Buckle in, this is a longer update!
Apologies for my absence!
During my nearly 6 months abroad, I was asked to please limit my interactions on the internet, including with this blog site, as the places we were in and would be traveling to, were highly monitored by the governments of those locations.
Due to the sensitivity of where we were, I did not want to put any of our contacts in danger.
SO, what am I up to now!
Adjusting back to staff-life in the U.S. has some challenges!
Such as taking on a brand-new role within the campus, applying my business skills while learning to manage an industrial kitchen and cafeteria, helping to bring it up to code for upcoming health inspections, simultaneously jumping straight into preparing to host nearly 100 people during our Mission Adventures schools!
This a program where Jr high to High school kids come live the life of a missionary during their spring and summer vacations!
It is wild, challenging and fun as I prepare menus, go shopping, organize teams to cook, kitchen budgeting, and keep things running smoothly for meals.
I continue applying my musical skills by serving on our campus worship teams, worship outreach in Hollywood, a local women's shelter monthly, and Pasadena International House of Prayer!
As you can imagine, adjusting from traveling for 6 months
after living in 3 countries posed quite the physical challenge.
Jet lag took me several months to overcome!
As I look back on my time abroad, so MUCH happened it is nearly impossible to do justice here. But I am going to do my best!
It was an honor to staff this school in Pokhara, Nepal from September-December 2025.
Lecture phase was 3 months of learning, growing, leading and leaning on Jesus, followed by an outreach phase where a small team from our school traveled to 3 locations: Nepal, India and Israel!
I was stretched in my abilities to multitask
with daily, weekly and monthly student assignments plus classes, as well as weekly outreaches, all while being a house "mom" to 11 students from 6 different nations!
I was in charge of worship for the school as well.
Assigning and organizing music teams for class times as well as the school's weekly community prayer room.
I coached teams on how to lead worship with prayer also.
Whew, it was a lot! But I loved every minute!
Learning the Nepali language and culture felt completely natural to me, as I befriended the neighbors, got to know the locals, enjoyed the scenery, fell in love with the food and flavors, and explored the city I would call "home".
One of my favorite weeks in lecture phase, was called "Silence and Solitude".
It was four and a half days camping on top of a cliff overlooking Pokhara far below.
It's the beginning of the trail mountaineers take hiking Mt.Annapurna.
We had to climb to 8,000 feet, straight up the side of steep mountains!
I nearly had an asthma attack getting there, but the views once I overcame that, were mind blowing!
With no phones or distractions, we learned how to quiet our hearts & minds. We spent hours at a time speaking only to God through journaling, listening for His voice, observing His creation all around us, and allowing ourselves to experience the absolute wonder of the grandeur He designed. Feeling His peace nearer than I have in a long time shifted me back to what is simple. It was healing! Creativity reawakened as well. I had to sketch if I wanted memories!
Before I knew it, 3 months had passed & it was time for the next 2.5 months on outreach!
Outreach!
I had simply prayed:
"Lord, have Your way in me during this time."
Week one: New Delhi, India!
I got to reconnect with my Blue Haven children's home kids after 10 years! This time was so sweet. Encouraging them in their faith, connecting them to local Christian community and reconnecting with them as adults. I had prayed that God would make a way to return to India ever since 2014. He is Faithful!
Returning to Nepal, we piled into an offroad Jeep, traveling 48 hours deep into the Himalayas! Driving through waterfalls, on narrow cliffs, across some of the world's highest roads with breathtaking terrain, to reach a remote village with the Gospel!
I was SO nervous, but His grace kept and protected us!
Here, it felt like stepping back in time, where life moved slowly and people sat arounds fires enjoying each other late into the night. Much of the impact that we had in this location was building relationships with local villagers. As we sat around tables and fires, drinking tea, learning their language and customs, Jesus was shared.
I learned SO much about who God is through people half a world away that He created in His image. Joy can be simple and isn't dependent on "having". Bridges can be built, and friends can be made even with language barriers. Life can be shared across cultural divides, because what we have in common is the need for love.
From facing my fears by climbing thousands of feet, off roading in Jeeps and mountain bikes on steep mountain terrains, embracing people and places I never imagined I would, Nepal challenged me in many ways.
I cannot express the gratitude I have for this experience!
I learned that it is ok to leave what you know, to be a bit uncomfortable and not allow "age" or fear to hold you back from all that God has available!
There is freedom just on the other side of letting go!
Time seemed to
move so fast and soon it was time to say goodbye to this country that I grew to love deeply.
I am SO thankful Jesus allowed me to come here!
Next up: ISRAEL!
This third, and final location for outreach was quite literally, a dream come true. Ever since learning of our families' Jewish roots, my parents and I had dreamed of the day when we would be given the opportunity to travel to this land and connect with our lost heritage. My team was here for one month!
Here, history comes alive as you walk the very streets that Jesus walked as a boy growing up, and later with His disciples.
You can almost hear the echoes of a time that has changed so much, and yet remarkably stayed much the same!
An experience I will never forget
is driving to the border of Gaza. We made falafel for the IDF soldiers, handing them out as we drove along the border.
I had never witnessed the realities of war, and here you could feel it in the air. We served them, asked about their families, prayed, and brought a human touch to a difficult place.
Another incredible experience was the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus had walked on water, and performed the miracle of filling Peter's boats with fish!
Soon, we would head out to stay near to the Mediterranean Sea, with the sweetest family who adopted us!
It sounds crazy, but up until a few weeks before leaving for Israel, we were uncertain where we were going to stay for the second half of our time, as most housing was outside of our budget. We prayed, and God miraculously provided this family. We had never met, and based on an email and one phone call, they felt to open their home to us, free of charge! Miracles still happen today, and these photos are proof of this!
With their generosity in giving us a home base, we were able to travel each day out to different parts of Israel! They even allowed us the use of their ministry vehicle!
We spent much time here as a "singing group", as it is illegal to approach people to share the Gospel openly.
So, we sang it! We prayer walked the old city, and as we went along, we met people who were curious to know us. These became open doors to share Jesus, their Messiah.
Goodbyes!
What a fulfillment of a heart's desire Israel was.
To me, it is proof that God listens to the desires of our hearts, even when they seem impossible!
He is the same God of every Bible story, and He is still active today!
There are hundreds more photos and stories,
but we shall have to save those for when we are together in person!
Shakespeare said, "Parting is such sweet sorrow" and indeed it was! Our time together as a school outreach drew to a close. It was time to go back to our home countries and lives.
We became a family in these 6 months. But more than that, we watched one another grow, receive answers to prayers, "sharpened each other like iron" as the Bible says, and each one walked away never the same again.
I don't regret ANYTHING!
I want to thank each one of you who prayed with me and for me as I was away, and as I have transitioned back home!
Thank you to each one who has and continues to partner with me financially as well!
Every part of what I do for the Lord is because of your ongoing partnership and generosity.
I am especially thankful to you for trusting me with your seeds sown into this incredible work I get to do for the kingdom of God! Working for God is the BEST!
I take each one of you along with me in these adventures that the Lord has been kind enough to allow me! The "fruit" that comes- from the one who's never heard the name of Jesus to the one coming back, is all yours too! You get to be a part of the greatest miracle we can know: sons and daughters being restored back to their Father!
As I close out this update, I want to invite you!
Because we raise 100% of all our finances as missionaries, that means I get the honor of having incredible partners like you!
If you haven't either prayerfully or financially given before, here is the opportunity!
I am an open book and would love to schedule calls or get togethers to answer any
and all questions you may have!
I am leaving all the ways you can partner with me right here:
Tax deductible!
Father's Heart
3497 E. Kent Ave.
Gilbert, AZ 85296
*If you mail a check, please put my name on a note in the envelope indicating it is for me and not in the memo line. It will be made out to Father's Heart.
PayPal!
Venmo!
@Joanna-Patton-8
Zelle!
It will be under my email address
All my love,
Jo
Comments