Aila Boyd
aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Fellowship Community Church in Salem recently sent a team of eight volunteers to Liberia as part of its ongoing commitment to international missions and long-term ministry partnerships.
The team traveled Feb. 26 through March 6, working alongside International Bible Church to support community outreach efforts, lead Vacation Bible Schools and conduct ministry in local prisons.
Church leaders said the trip reflects the congregation’s broader approach to missions, which emphasizes prayer, service and financial support.
Fellowship Community Church maintains 19 ministry partnerships, including local schools, national ministries and international organizations, with a focus on building long-term relationships.
“Our goal is always to meet physical needs while pointing people to Jesus,” said Trish Cymbal, office manager and administrative assistant for missions. “This partnership in Liberia is longstanding, and this trip focused on discipleship and evangelism through personal connections.”
During their time in Liberia, the team worked in local schools to provide Vacation Bible School programming, made home visits to build relationships with families and spoke to approximately 180 inmates across three prisons. Early in the trip, the group shared their message with about 100 people gathered in the community, with many making first-time commitments to the Christian faith, according according to Cymbal.
Preparation for the mission trip began nearly a year in advance. Volunteers completed applications and background checks before being selected. The team then met regularly for Bible study, training and team-building, with leaders emphasizing both spiritual growth and relationship development prior to traveling.
“An important aspect of any trip is that the team members are getting to know each other before going across the world,” Cymbal said. “It is also a time of personal spiritual growth in the year leading up to the trip.”
Organizers said the trip also served to encourage and support local ministry partners in Liberia.
“Missionaries and local churches can feel isolated,” Cymbal said. “Part of our purpose is to remind them they are not alone in the work they are doing.”
Participants described several meaningful experiences, including being welcomed at the airport by local partners, conducting home visits and sharing daily prayer and reflection as a team.
“One of the first days the team was there, it was able to share Jesus with about 100 people gathered,” Cymbal said. “Many made the decision to follow Jesus for the very first time.”
The Liberia mission marks the first of four international trips planned by the church in 2026. Additional trips are scheduled for Guatemala in May, Bolivia and the Dominican Republic in July. A domestic mission trip to Bradshaw, West Virginia, is planned for October, with future international trips already scheduled for 2027.
Church leaders said more than 40 people have signed up to participate in this year’s international mission opportunities.
The efforts align with the church’s vision of “Jesus Every Day, Jesus Everyone, and Jesus Everywhere,” which emphasizes serving both locally in the Roanoke Valley and globally.
“We don’t want to be a church with missions, but a church on mission,” Cymbal said. “Church is not just about attending a worship service on Sundays; it is about giving God control of every aspect of your life.”
