LHANG\NG HEAftTS Attending a college that was so involved with internat ional missions, students could easily forget that mission work was st ill needed in the u.s. OutReach America was a program that sough t to en courage students to con sider moving to cities around the nation after graduation and plug into communities while working to start new churches or encourage struggling ones. Led by missionary in residence, Marvin Crowson, a group of stud ents met for a weekly Bible study and explored ways they could impact the U.S. for Christ. One opportunity came for senior Holl ey Skinner and junior Tiqua Lovett this past summer when they had the chance to inter n with a network of house churches in Bronx, N .Y. Lovett said that both sh e and Skinner were inter ested in the internsh ip when they heard about it from C rowson, but it ultimately came to their own de– cisions about whether to go. " Initially we talked to Marvin together because we we re both going to OutReach America," Lovett said . "Then we both just started praying about it on our own and decided what we wanted to do individually." Since the internship was unpaid, the girls had to raise their own support of about $6,000 to cover food. rent and ente rtainment. "\\'bile there was some routine to their schedule. such as giving English lessons us– ing the book of Luke to people in a public library on Thursdays or Simply handing out fliers, each day also brought new experien ces and challenges. "The cul ture was very different so it was hard to get used to," Skinner said . " It was hard when we would meet people and form relationships and think things were going well and then they would disappear. It was discouraging, but people show up again. You've gOt to be patient." Lovett added that connecting with the p eople was si – multan eously the most rewarding and challenging part of the intern ship . " I just liked being able to meet with the different peop le." Lovett sa id. "That's the hardest thing and the best thing, I think, is getting out there and just talking to people that I didn't know and praying with people I d idn't know." Both Lovett and Skinner gained a lot from their time spent in the Bronx this summer. As English and biology majol"S, respectively. they could still see how their work appl ied to their future. " Biology is what 1 want to do with my life, but that's not just what I want to do." Skinner said. " I want to make following Christ and reaching people my main goal." Through their internship. both Skinn er and Lovett got to take part in the mission to share Christ with peo– ple in their own country. And their experience showed them just how great that need is. " I learned so much about people and how different people live," Skinner said . "You think that in the U.S . you don't see pover ty , but from going there, I saw how bad it could be and how much people are in need of J esus. It's a totally different environment. You go there and you realize the void." Emily HouptJi and Penelope Cronk Senior Holley Skinner and junior Tiqua Lovett sit with children from the Bronx, NY, during Sum– mer 2009. This time was called "Power Hour" and the children sang songs and were taugh t Bible lessons. Courtesy of Holley Skinner. Junior Tiqua Lovett and senior Holley Skinner grab the hands of their new friend Nathan on Aug. 9. "He was not monetarily rich, but his house was so ful l of love," Lovett said . Courtesy of riqua Lovett. It was apparent on Dec. l that because of their mission trip to– gether, junior Tiqua Lovett and senior Holley Skinner's friend– ship has become stronger than ever. They learned to rely on each other while living together in the Bronx. Noah Darnell bible 201
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