By Hillary Harder On Sunday, July 26, our students returned to Quito from their service communities and we began our final retreat together! The afternoon was full of joyful reunions as each student arrived at our Quito home, la Casa…
News
Lahaina Weekly Reports by MDS
Apr 24 2026
by Mike McHugh
Next week we depart for Lahaina to join the many hands that have spent the last few years helping build homes for families impacted by the 2023 wildfires. Today, I want to share with you another great way to read about the continued work that MDS volunteers are doing in the community.
You can visit this MDS site to read weekly reports of progress the current volunteers are making on projects in Lahaina. Written by the current office manager, you can see photos and read about the work they’re doing. Once we are there, you might catch a glimpse of someone you know, or even read something written by one of our students!
Want to know what happens when one of the houses is finished? Watch this March clip from Hawaii News Now to see a family receive keys to their newly built home, made possible with help from Hawaii Community Lending, the Lahaina Community Land Trust, the Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Long-Term Recovery Group, and the Mennonite Disaster Service.
Study AbroadFinal retreat in Ecuador
Study AbroadLife on the ward
By Dayanara Aguirre-Mulato During my service placement at the municipal Centro Médico in Riobamba, I had the privilege to be able to work alongside other nurses. Day to day each patient comes in to register for their appointment and I…
Study AbroadService visits: opportunities for connection in Ecuador’s “provincias”
By Hillary Harder During the Service term, leaders have the privilege of traveling to visit each student at the home and volunteer assignment where they are spending their time during the second half of SST. For us, that meant traveling…