Last summer Jessica Leo, my sister Allison and I, discovered we were artists—with muscles!

We three Camelback Church members from Phoenix joined more than 100 teens from all over the country to build four churches in the Dominican Republic. Our two-week mission experience was one of many “Ultimate Workouts” sponsored by Maranatha Volunteers over the past 13 years for teens like us. And what an adventure it was!

We got off to an extremely rough start, and I wondered if we’d ever make it there at all. After hours of traveling, we finally arrived, only to discover that our luggage had gone a different direction, and we were without clean clothes for the first four days of the project. Art lesson number one: Never judge a work of art before it’s finished. I ended up having the most fun and life-changing experience ever.

I was assigned to the Alfa site, a small suburb located on the outskirts of the town of San Pedro, and we stayed at the charter school, about a 20-minute walk from the work site. That first Sabbath we worshiped at the old Alfa church. What a culture shock! Most of us would never have considered calling such a crowded “shack” a place of worship, but the people there were very proud to have us visit, and we were welcomed warmly. Art lesson number two: Beauty really is in the eye—and the heart—of the beholder.

We had amazing leaders like our pastor, Steve Case, and translators who stayed with us so we could communicate. I thought we would be teaching people about God, but soon realized many there already knew Him. Our work was to provide a place so they could do their own teaching.

Every day nationals worked long hours beside us—without pay. They were the reason our church went up so quickly; that brings me to lesson number three. Some of the best art happens when many colors come together and the inner beauty of people shines through.

Days were full—and then some. Culture in the Dominican doesn’t allow the guys to cook, so we girls did that, as well as construction work. We all helped with evangelistic programs and with service projects in the community. We shined dusty shoes for free, organized a basketball tournament, took family photos, and passed out ice cream to neighborhood children. The people accepted us easily and were very appreciative.

One lady’s story particularly touched me. She lived at the bottom of a hill in a small one-room house with only a dirt floor, and during every rainy season, water would pour down the hill and flood her small house. She actually had to put the few things she owned up on blocks in anticipation of the rains. By the second Sabbath we were there, the youth at our site had raised the 50 American dollars it cost for her to have a real floor installed. We were so happy to contribute to that project.

By the time we left Alfa site, all of the outside walls and most of the roof and inside walls of the new church were completed. The last Sabbath we were there we held services in the new church, which was more than three times the size of their old building. We knew it wouldn’t be long before it, too, would be crowded.

As nice as going home sounded, no part of me really wanted to leave. I arrived back in Phoenix with so much: tons of new friends, a totally changed perspective on life and some amazing stories. Art lesson number four? A thing of beauty truly is a joy forever and so is a beautiful event in your life. Ultimate Workout, I’ll be back!