TEACHING TRUTH WITH LOVE Senior Andres Rojas traveled around Latin America doing mission work and spreading God's love. S enior international business and information systems major Andres Rojas spent more rime on a plane in summer 2018 than he did in his home country of Cosca Rica. Rojas' passion for mission work kept him away from home and took him to many different countries. Rojas developed a passion for missions after a spring break mission trip to the Dominican Republic his freshman year. "I almost came back from that mission trip and quit college to move co the Dominican,' Rojas said. "I was so excited to go there and serve; the kids were awesome." This interest was then carried into Smiles for Christ, where Rojas when you go there and seehow the school works, you see that we are doing so much more; we are changing their lifestyles." Rojas wanted to turn Smiles for Christ into a non-profit. If successful, the group would expand to other countries in Central America. Smiles for Christ sponsor and Assistant Professor of Business Administration Gary Ross met Rojas his freshman year. "I think of him as the big brother to the group," Ross said. "He is such a giving and driven young man." Nexton Rojas' summer plans were Bolivia and Peru with Global Outreach for five weeks. On this trip, Rojas, along with eight other began serving in leadership roles. Smiles for Christ was a service organization char worked throughout the year to raise funds for Association of Parents and Friends who Help Kids with Special Needs (APANJE), a Honduran school dedicated to educating local, mentally disabled children and adults. "It doesn't matter what major you are; you can always do mission work." students and two leaders, held youth rallies for people ages 12 to 24 and led evangelism campaigns in apologetics, reaching truth with love. -Andres Rojas Director of Global Outreach Ken Graves was one of the leaders who accompanied Rojas on this trip. He started out as a leader, then became the group's vice president in 2017 and began 2018 as president. Smiles for Christ led a one-week mission trip to Honduras every summer to work with the APANJE school. The group donated the funds raised during the year from pupusa sales, Larin Fest and Smiles Day to the school.The donations were used to buy new tires for buses, to build walls around the school to protect the kids and to paint the school. "I always look forward to that mission trip," Rojas said. "When I first went, I thought that we were providing pencils and paper to kids, but "The whole time we were there Andres stoodout," Graves said. "He is a very committed Christ-follower, just a Christian through and through. With his major he has some God-given gifts, and I would say he is a natural-born leader." Rojas planned to continue missions after he graduated and to bring missions back to his home country by implementing missions in his workplace. "It doesn't matter what major you are; you can always do mission work," Rojas said. story by Erin Slomers Senior Andres Rojas embraces a child while in Honduras with Smilesfor Christ on June 3, 2018. Rojas was president ofSmiles for Christ in 2018 and decided to visit Honduras for the second time to spend a week with local children. I photo courtesy of Andres Rojas 127 I SENIORS
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