Eighteen young adults serving as Episcopal Church missionaries throughout the world have started serving as missionaries as part of a year-long program, and have already been blogging about their experiences leading up to it.

The U.S.-based missionaries, ages 21-30, are serving throughout the Anglican Communion under the Young Adult Service Corps Program.

Among the locations missionaries are traveling to are Costa Rica, Haiti, Brazil, Hong Kong, China, Philippines, Japan, Kenya, Tanzania, Mexico, and South Africa.

One participant recently blogged about feeling excitement in participating in an orientation in Toronto last month, expressing thanks to those who gave support through finances and prayers. Other participants have reported already arriving at their destinations earlier this month.

The YASC website explains that service lasts for a year, says applicants must have a high degree of maturity and possess a faith commitment and "the willingness to be a humble guest, and the ability to be an authentic companion."

The program's website asks if potential participants are ready for an experience that will transform their lives, want to be a part of what God is doing in the world, if they want to experience diverse cultures, make a spiritual commitment and reflect on vocational possibilities.

This year's class of 2012-2013 18 is the largest group of missionaries sent out through the YASC program in it's history, according to the Episcopal News Service