Spring Break Trips

By Kristen Farley

This week, observant students have noticed the long lines of Global Outreach tables set up in the lower SSC. The recruitment process has begun for this year’s spring break mission trips, and the itinerary for this year includes locations both old and new.

This is the first year that Ecuador is on the list. In fact, it is something near and dear to Cedarville’s own, junior nursing major Priscilla Gonzalez. She was born and raised in Ecuador, and through her parent’s mission, the team will be doing children’s ministry in a mountain community. As leader of the team, Gonzalez is excited to bring people to her home, but she also advises students to pray.

“I want you to pray about it first, and if God wants you to come, I want you to come,” Gonzalez said.

Andrew Arreguin, a sophomore, and leader of this year’s Memphis Service Over Self trip.

Gonzalez also said that she wants students to go on a mission trip in order to see that God is the same no matter where someone serves.

“The God that speaks to them in their language, speaks to us in our language, and it doesn’t matter if you know the language or not,” she said. “God will speak through you.”

Other trips are not as new, but are exciting just the same. Last year, junior nursing major Amy Adams and senior Spanish education major Rachel Leake went to Chicago together through Inner City Impact. Adams said she especially looks forward to reconnecting with the children they bonded with last year.

“I felt like they loved on me just as much as we loved on them,” she said.

Adams also said that the relationships she formed on the trip were very impactful for her.

“It was cool for me, that even though they didn’t want to accept Jesus, they still cared about me enough to ask me why I accepted Christ, and know how he had worked in my life,” she said.

Leake said that her missions trip with Inner City Impact was a time of discovery. On the trip, she was placed in a first and second grade Spanish bilingual class. As she is a Spanish education major, she said she gained a new view of what she can do to serve the Lord from that experience.

“I found something I’m even more passionate about,” Leake said. “God used a mission trip to do that.”

Leake also said that even though the expense of going on a mission trip can be daunting, if a trip is God’s will, going is worth it.

“If it’s about finances, that’s an area that can grow your faith in God,” she said. “Watching God provide, if that’s His will, is so cool. If God’s leading you in that direction, definitely pursue it.”

Any student interested in signing up for a spring break mission trip can find more information at the Global Outreach office. Informational meetings for each mission trip will be held throughout the next two weeks.

Leake also said that even though the expense of going on a mission trip can be daunting, if a trip is God’s will, going is worth it.

“If it’s about finances, that’s an area that can grow your faith in God,” she said. “Watching God provide, if that’s His will, is so cool. If God’s leading you in that direction, definitely pursue it.”

Any student interested in signing up for a spring break mission trip can find more information at the Global Outreach office or at the table in the lower SSC on October 4. Informational meetings for each mission trip will be held throughout the next two weeks. 

Kristen Farley is a sophomore early education major and Arts and Entertainment writer for Cedars. She enjoys accents, books, people, and life in general.