FROM MIAMI TO SEATTLE STUDENTS DISCOVER THE FAITH COMMUNITY OF WORDS Caitlin Denton I I PHOTOS Ben Hansen & Jacob McCall GREATER The theme for Uplift, a summer camp for seventh to 12th graders from across the country, was "Greater," because Dr. Andrew Baker, assistant profe sor of Bible and director of plift, wanted a way to show the campers that a community of faith existed across the country that would support and believe in them. He called it "The Greater Community." To illustrate chis idea of "the greater community" Baker asked Ben Hansen, a 2015 graduate, who was an Uplift staff member, to travel from l\{iami to Seattle with no money and no transportation of their own, rel}~ng solely on the community of faith. Hansen knew that alumnus Jacob McCall was familiar with filming and asked him to join him on the trip. Hansen and McCall did not know each other well, but they were excited to set out together and see what they could learn about the greater community. "l was confident they would get [to eattle]," Baker said. "J was more intrigued in the story they would tell by tl1e process of getting there." Hansen and Mc all flew to Miami, Florida, on May 10, 2017, to begin their journey completely penniles . Throughout the trip, they were never once left hungry and made it to every destination on tin1e. An overwhelming amount of Christians all across the country reached out to help, even ones they had never met before. "'-: e wanted to see what faith looked like mroughout the country and display to others that, with faith, you are able to do anything," Mc all said. McCall said they were helped by more than 113 different people, many of which were Christians. McCall and Hansen asked each Christian they came in contact with these two questions, "How did you come to find faith?" and "What does [faith) lo k like in y ur life?" After only 13 days, the pair had traveled 4,593 miles in a car and 3,447 mile~ by plane. o matter where they were, someone in the community of faith was willing to find them some method of transportation or even drive them personally to their next destination. "The United States is so big, so diverse. Faith plays its way out so differently no matter where you are," Hansen said. "But the one thing I was assured of is that faith cl es grow, and it does play out wherever it is because it is universal." Baker agreed with Hansen and wa" not surprised by the generosity the pair received. "I believe they could have done this across the world," Baker said. "God gave us the community of faith for that reason, (to] have people across the globe to lean on and [to] help us in times of need. That is what makes the community of faith, 'the greater community."' I Harding alumnus Jacob McCall! and graduate student Ben Hansen drive from Miami to Seattle relying on Chnst1ans the entire way. On May 10, 201 7, Hansen and McCall began their journey and people started reaching out to help them along the way, giving them food and places to stay during the night. I I Photo courtesy of Ben Hansen & Jacob McCall G) :::0 )> 0 C )> -l m "Tl m )> -l C :::0 m
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