Thrive retreats are valuable experiences for women serving overseas. The retreat offers them a chance to step away from their daily responsibilities, laugh and pray together, and eat good food (and of course chocolate!). Thrive aims to provide a retreat that offers spiritual, physical, and emotional support for those who attend. Two afternoons are set aside for a variety of self-care options: prayer or spiritual direction to nurture spiritual well-being; pedicures and haircuts to meet physical needs; and counseling or life coaching to support emotional health.

Prayer is woven into every part of the retreat—before, during, and after. The global women and volunteers are covered in prayer by a larger faith community that begins interceding weeks in advance. For twenty-one days before the volunteers arrive in Cape Town, Thrive sends daily prayer prompts to over 1000 email recipients, and those prayers continue throughout the retreat and as each woman journeys back home.

As the retreat unfolds, prayer continues to be gently woven into the daily rhythm. We pray as a large group, in small gatherings, and one-on-one. Today, the women received prayer cards from members of a volunteer’s church who have been praying for them by name since April! This gesture was deeply appreciated, and several women shared how honored they felt knowing that someone they had never met had been praying for them. Even the pedicure station, an unexpected place for spiritual connection, becomes a sacred space where global women open their hearts and receive prayer and encouragement.

The attendees have expressed that they are humbled and honored to be served through prayer and the self-care options. As the week progresses, they will have additional opportunities to be refreshed spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Our prayer is that the women leave the retreat with renewed energy and vision to face both the challenges and joys of working overseas.