The Cedars of Dexter Resident, Cindy Pine: ‘Volunteering Has Filled My Cup’

In 2014, Cindy Pine, a resident of The Cedars of Dexter, a Brio Living Services community, answered a “random” email about a women’s mission trip to Costa Rica. It inspired her to try something new after the passing of her husband, Rick, in 2013. Now, twelve years later, Cindy has completed 21 mission trips throughout Central and South America through Mission Opportunities Short Term, or MOST, a Lutheran nonprofit based in Ann Arbor.

Cindy’s interest in other cultures began as a 16-year-old when she lived with a family in Guatemala for several months. Cindy earned her master’s degree in anthropology and worked for USAID “off and on” for ten years. “My training in anthropology taught me how important it is that aid projects be culturally appropriate,” says Cindy. She worked in Honduras for two years and in Turkey for two years, and learned three languages—Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish.

“Personally, I had not considered mission work until I received the first notice about helping on a team in Costa Rica in 2014,” says Cindy. “Then I realized the Lord had prepared me through my years of learning languages, my study of anthropology, plus my Christian upbringing, to do this service.”

“MOST Ministries’ values have been honed over 38 years of existence,” explains Cindy. “We work only with churches or missions who have invited us to do the project requested. We work with well-vetted hosts and vendors to ensure the safety and health of the team, and we respectfully represent our Christian roots.”

With Cindy’s experience, she has become a team leader, training other team participants for project work, leading Servanthood Bible studies, and overseeing travel and safety. Teams fundraise to cover their own expenses and the leader’s travel. As a Spanish speaker, Cindy also serves as a translator when needed. “It’s important that the team move in smoothly and not be too noticeable. We want to be attuned with and to fit in with the local culture.”

Many of Cindy’s trips have been with eyeglass teams. In November 2025, Cindy led a team that distributed eyeglasses to four communities in Panama. “Part of our preparation for the team is to make sure they are physically and mentally prepared for long hours, new foods and lodging arrangements, and challenging physical situations, such as poor or no sidewalks and climbing the occasional ravine in rural areas. On this trip, we lugged 3,000 pairs of eyeglasses. We visit people in less developed areas because that’s where the need is greatest.”

For example, Cindy shared the importance of good eyesight for the Kuna tribal group in Panama. “The women make beautiful, intricate embroidery work for their livelihood, using tiny stitches. Providing them with glasses helps them provide for their families. Also, being able to help a visually impaired person see the leaves on trees or see their grandchild’s face for the first time is just incredible.”

Some memorable experiences for Cindy have included an emergency where she had to help get a team member who had suffered a compound fracture from a remote part of Nicaragua to a hospital which took seven hours. Last year in Guatemala, a 17-year-old, whose life had been saved by MOST’s team doctor when she was a baby, came back to see their team and reunite with the physician.

“The relationships are the most satisfying part of our work,” says Cindy. “We make friends, and I love to go back and know that I’ll see many of these people again. The relationships we build truly help to cut across any cultural differences.”

“I’m so fortunate to be able to do this work,” Cindy continues. “Adults of all ages can go. It’s hard work and there are physical demands. I’m so grateful I can do this. It’s an activity I could continue when I moved to The Cedars.”

This summer, Cindy will make her 22nd mission trip, leading a medical team to Honduras. “It’s been a lifesaver for me,” says Cindy about her experience. “You’re never totally prepared for life without your spouse. Without a purpose, you can give up on yourself. This has inspired me to keep going every day. Volunteering has filled my cup.”

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