For many college students, spring break is a time to hit the beach and party with your friends; yet, for many Asbury students, spring break is a time to do short-term mission trips, service projects or conferences on a global scale. Asbury students had the opportunity to learn about community involvement with trips to places like Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; New York City; and Ohio. There was even a group of students that traveled outside of the United States and ventured to Denmark.
For most college students, spring break is a time to hit the beach and party with your friends; yet, for many Asbury students, spring break is a time to do short-term mission trips, service projects or conferences on a global scale.
Asbury students had the opportunity to learn about community involvement with trips to places like Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; New York City; and Ohio. There was even a group of students that traveled outside of the United States and ventured to Denmark.
The team that went to Jacksonville, Florida, stayed in a region called Brentwood and helped out at the local elementary schools and community garden. The team of Asburians led by Brad Johnson helped with after-school programs and a local church ministry by doing work that ranged from filing paperwork to helping teachers around the classroom. Junior Jason Hastings stated that he learned a lot from the trip since he got to live in a community he typically would not spend time in and experienced a life unlike his own.
After spending a day filing paperwork for a teacher on maternity leave, Hastings was surprised how much his contribution meant to her. “I learned … how much giving beats receiving,” he said.
After another long day of cleaning trash from the streets, Hastings said a member of the community bought the team Wendy’s as a gesture of his gratitude. “He didn’t have to do that, but he did,” said Hastings. “It was a neat experience in that while we were pouring ourselves to the local community they poured into us in acts like these.”
The Chicago trip that was led by Ethan Engelhardt included 18 students who visited organizations and reformed neighborhoods. These areas had undergone a transformation that went from “extremely dangerous to incredible communities,” according to junior Andrea Bussell.
“We partnered with Mission Year to get to visit these organizations and serve the community they impact,” she added.
The trip gave the students an inside look at poverty and government involvement in low income communities.
“The biggest takeaways so far for me have been that poverty is less about politics and more about our calling as Christians,” said Bussell. “I also learned about how much investing in the younger generation can change the atmosphere of a town, city or even country. Developing leaders in the young people now will greatly impact the future of the areas they live in.”
Aside from visiting and helping in these areas, the students were also able to do some sightseeing in Chicago.
Two students, along with faculty advisor Dr. Steve Clements, went to New York City for a portion of their spring break. They attended the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women 63rd Conference (NYC).
Besides getting to tour New York City, these students met people and attended meetings in the conference that pertain to their political science majors. Junior Juan Vidal said that the dynamics he learned from the conference are some that he plans on implementing on Asbury’s own campus.
Seven Asbury students packed their bags and jumped on a plane headed for Denmark. As part of the Salvation Army church, they resided in a small town in Denmark called Nakskov. They spent the week helping at the Social Center and Corps (Salvation Army church) that was also a cafe during the week.
“The Social Center serves breakfast and lunch to the homeless and marginalized that live in their community and is open from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. and then opens again from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. during the winter months,” said junior Maggie Richwine. “The Cafe is open every day and functions as a coffee shop like we might find in the U.S., but they have programming during the day and evening that is church-related. It’s a wonderful way to blend the community and the church members.”
Richwine stated that one of her favorite parts of the trip was getting to see ministry and mission in a different part of the world.
“It was refreshing to see how everyone loved and cared about each other so much, and the mission of the Army was so prevalent in the community there,” she added.
The students who attended these trips were all impacted in different ways. They learned things about the world and themselves. Many of them recommend others to attend these types of spring break trips.
Regarding the Chicago trip, Bussell said, “This is an awesome trip and provides so many chances to learn and have your heart changed and opened to a world outside of Wilmore. If you go in with open eyes and an open heart you will learn and leave the trip a different person.”
