Village Tour

Our Village site is named “Belisi” (pronounced bell-ee-see). This name comes from a Pidgin word in Papua New Guinea that literally means “easy stomach” (this is their way of saying “peaceful”, as in a peaceful state of being). It is an appropriate name for this remote, wooded location on the JAARS campus where God’s glory in nature is on full display.
We also hope that beyond the peaceful setting, our participants experience spiritual peace here as they seek direction from God and are led to a more solid understanding of their identity in Christ and his purpose for them.

Belisi actually consists of two separate but identical sites. Each site features a central meeting pavilion (called a “maloka”), raised sleeping huts (“champas”), rustic showers (“mandi”), pit toilets (“choo”) and an open fire pit. The names for each of these key structures are derived from languages of other people groups.

Browse through our gallery to get a glimpse of our outdoor facilities and the experience that you and your group can have!

Take a look at our living space. The word "champa" is used in countries like Mexico to refer to a hut.
Interior of a champa. At the end of the day, you can expect to unwind on a hammock hung here!
During a CrossVenture program, we gather together in a maloka. A maloca is a pavilion-like community meeting place used by natives of the Colombian Amazon. These are typically made with resources the Amazon forest offers.
The name of our bathhouse is "mandi" which is in Indonesian. No worries if you want a hot shower. All you need to do is get a fire started and wait for the water to warm up!
We've got plenty of water for you to stay clean!
Have you wondered how we eat at CrossVenture? Well, we eat pretty well thanks to our mud stove! From coffee, pancakes, and eggs, to beans, pakoras, and chana masala, we don't go hungry.
Just like the popular phrase "hakuna matata," the word "choo" comes from Swahili. It is our outhouse here at our Belisi site. You can pronounce choo with a long /ō/ sound. As we like to say, we "go" to the "choo."
Diwai means wood in Tok Pisin, or New Guinea Pidgin. This language is spoken throughout Papua New Guinea. We use diwai many times throughout the week and weekend for our bonfire and mud oven.
Enjoy time with the group on our sand volleyball court.

“I learned that no matter what God has put in your heart, you can be used in any way in missions. God can use you to impact people, and you are a crucial part of a God’s big plan.”
– Participant, Florida

“My patience has been challenged, and I have had to face my fears. I have been learning about where God might want me in the future.”
– Participant, Illinois

“So glad we came. It stretched each person in different ways while providing a safe environment. The director and staff worked well as a team, resourcing us well, with great passion and love for the Lord and people.” – Youth leader, Ohio