o.o 00••00 . 00• • 0 . 00 . 00• • 0 . 0 • • ( o 000 00. 00 . 00 000 0 . 00 000 0 00 • 0 . 0 '.0 O. 0 . 0 . O. 0 . 0 ••0 ( 00 0 • • 00 • • 0 00 • • 0 0 00 • o O . 0 0 O . 0 0 0 ( Missionary expands international program A fref serving 18 years with his wife, Terri, and three children in the mission fields of Florianopolis and Campi nas, Brazil, If!j Ken Graves, director of international campaigns, teturned to Harding using his practical missionary skills to lead the revised Global Outreach Program. Formerly a pat[ of the College C hurch of Christ's lnrerna.rional Campaigns office, rhe new Global Outreach Program was placed under rhe di recrion of the Bible depanmenr. A 1985 graduate ofHarding, Graves said his experience and enthusiasm for the mission field prepared him for his new role directing short-term missions. Having received more than 20 different short-term missionary groups while in Brazil, he said he understood what the needs were in the mission field from visiting mission campaigns. Dr. Monte Cox, direccor of the Center for World Missions and associate professor of Bible, said he believed Graves was a self-starcer and was passionate about missions and a perfect fit to lead the program. "He went from working in Brazil to working with the whole world," Cox said. "It takes a long-term missionary to know how to use short– term worke rs." The biggest difference to the program would be a heavier focus on imernships, Graves said. He also wamed the program to offer imernship opponunities in more areas of the world. "In the past, internships have leaned more heavily cowards Africa," G raves said. "One hope I have is to keep more of a balance of where Ken Graves, director of international campaigns, intro– duces the changes and new focus of the Global Outreach Program during chapel Sept 13. Graves encouraged students to become a part of campaigns and internships planned for countries such as Romania,Togo, Mozambique,Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, the Czech Republic, Bolivia.Thailand, Papua New Guinea and China. -Chelsea Roberson _.-.~6 leadership students may intern such as Central and South Ameri ca, Asia and more. This will provide a better oppor(unity for missions majors to choose and experience which part of the world they would like to be in." Another change for the program Graves said he foresaw was making the shon-rerm campaigns more concentrated. H e said he planned (0 have a larger number of campaign groups wirh smaller numbers of srudents in each group. This would ease rhe burden of housing students for host families and create a more intimate, meaningful experience for campaigners. "Most people are nor cut out to live in another cu1rure or country for their lifetime," Graves said. "Going on a short-term mission, though, will help you figure Out what gifts you have to help suppOrt those on the mission field." G raves said more than 90 percent of missionaries had gone on a shon-term campaign before making a long-term commitment to the mission field. "It's important for as many people to travel internationaIly," Graves said. "Can you say that you've had a liberal arts education without traveling abroad? I have seen many students open up their worldview by giving and working overseas. It's a transforming experience, and it affects the students' views of Chris[''' -Brian Hall
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