On my journey home from our Contemplative Retreat in the Dolomites, I had the opportunity to reconnect with a woman I first met at our Rome Retreat who now serves in Istanbul. As we finished a leisurely Turkish breakfast together, she handed me a gift bag filled with local treats. Smiling, she mentioned that it was the same bag used for the “Taste of Home” gifts she received at the retreat.

That simple gift bag stayed with me.

It had already traveled quite a distance. It was selected by Pat, one of our retreat volunteers. It was filled by members of her community who wanted to encourage someone they would likely never meet. It was received by my friend Becky at the retreat. And now, in an unexpected twist, it had found its way into my hands.

What struck me is that the impact of a retreat is rarely confined to the retreat itself.

From the outside, it can seem as though the most important moments happen during those few days together. But the gifts exchanged at a retreat—physical, emotional, and spiritual—continue moving long after everyone returns home. Thrive connects women from around the world, many of whom will never meet face-to-face, and invites them into a shared story of encouragement, renewal, and belonging.

The effects ripple outward.

A cross-cultural worker returns to her team carrying a renewed sense that she is seen, known, and loved by God. Those around her on a daily basis experience the fruit of that renewal.

The communities she serves benefit from a healthier, more resilient worker—someone better equipped to embody the hope and healing of Christ in places where the work is often difficult and isolating.

Volunteers, donors, and prayer partners discover that they, too, have a meaningful role to play in God's work around the world. Through simple acts of generosity, they help create spaces where women can rest, reconnect with God, and remember they are not alone.

This is the blessing on the move.

It travels from one person to another, from one community to another, and often from one country to another. It continues long after the retreat ends.

Every one of you is part of that story.

As women serving cross-culturally face increasing challenges and pressures, the need to create spaces of belonging, restoration, and encouragement continues to grow. Because of your generosity, prayers, service, and support, they do not face those challenges alone.

Thank you for being part of a community that helps carry blessing, hope, and renewal around the world.

- Jen, Thrive CEO