Vocabulary.com defines preparation as the act of preparing—getting ready, planning, training, or studying with a goal in mind. The goal in mind for the Thrive volunteer team is clear: to serve well the women who come to be encouraged, replenished, and refreshed. The on-site preparation takes many forms over a series of days. But the actual preparation begins much earlier. It begins with the Thrive staff as they determine the Lord’s leading for a retreat location, evaluate the needs for a particular retreat and put together the logistics for it all to go smoothly. The foundation of serving women who work overseas is prayer, seeking God’s will for all of the details—for Him to spark the hearts of those attendees and volunteers He desires to bring together for this week in Prague.

And once all of those details are in place—once God has chosen this particular team and brought each of the volunteers to this place—the on-site preparation begins. The team has already intentionally started to get to know one another. We worship together, share our hearts over meals, and pray together for each other and for each of the attendees as they start to make their way from 26 countries to gather together in Prague.

Today the team also spent time preparing physically. We put together gifts for the attendees, set up materials, discussed expectations and learned tools for facilitating discussions in small groups to care well for the global women. We also divided into teams to learn about our assigned self-care roles as we prepare to pamper the attendees with pedicures, massages, counseling opportunities, haircuts, spiritual direction, color analysis, and prayer (and more prayer!).

In addition to the on-site training, yesterday the volunteer team was able to support a local retreat attendee who is serving Ukrainian refugees. It was a beautiful time of showing them that we care for and support them. The gospel was shared, gifts were given, and women were encouraged by our presence and love.

God has put together this group of volunteers, and we are experiencing His hand as He brings together a diverse group of women into one team with one heart and one clear goal—that of serving and loving women who have been obedient to God’s call to serve overseas.