After a few years of extra caution around travel, GAC Mission Trips have officially made a full comeback! The passion that our middle and high school students have for serving others is stronger than ever. Last year GAC students journeyed internationally to Greece, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador, building deep connections and immersing themselves in new cultures. Domestically, they served communities in Puerto Rico, Iowa, Hilton Head, Jekyll Island, Mississippi, Arizona, Texas, and right here in Atlanta.

As we look forward to the coming year, we’re revisiting the locations that hold a special place in our hearts, and expanding with new opportunities in Charlotte, and a new option for whole families to serve together in Puerto Rico. We can’t wait to see the impact that the upcoming 15 GAC mission trips will have on our students as well as the people they’ll serve.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

For one of the team members on our Mexico trip, it was an opportunity to serve as well as a homecoming. Mario Lozano is the Senior Graphic Designer at GAC (he’s the person responsible for designing this magazine that you are currently reading!), and he’s one of the coaches for the Varsity Girls Soccer team.

As a child, Mario grew up in the community of Ensenada, Mexico where GAC has served for the last 25 years. GAC has returned year after year because of the incredible work at City of Children Orphanage, where Mario lived from the time he was 7 years old. As a teenager, Mario built meaningful connections with several people from GAC, kept in close contact with them over the years, and felt like a part of the Spartan family.

After he graduated high school, Mario went on to study Graphic Design, Environmental Design, and Industrial Design. The people from GAC that had become like family encouraged him throughout his studies, and towards the end they even hoped that Mario might be able to use his new skills in a role at our school.

Miraculously, doors opened up and Mario was able to come and work as a GAC Graphic Designer. When he moved to Atlanta, he met his beautiful wife Lauren and they began a family of their own together.

Now he is also a GAC dad to little Spartans, Elsie (Class of 2036) and Santi (Class of 2039).

“Growing up in the City of Children was one of the biggest blessings of my life. It opened a lot of doors for me, and the biggest one was coming to Atlanta to be a part of the GAC family. The past 11 years working here have shaped my entire life. I have been blessed with so many friends, new and old, with an amazing family of my own, and learn about this beautiful American culture. I couldn’t be more grateful to God for this chapter in my life.” - Mario Lozano