STUDENT LIFE I INTERNATIONAL I SOCIAL CLUBS I ACADEMICS I PEOPLE I LEADERSHIP I ATHLETICS I ORGANIZATIONS Spring break missions group bounced back after plans fell through. A team of students traveled to a mission camp in Honduras for a spring break mission trip after the group's original plans fell through in March 2018. Speech-language pathology graduate student Robert Stewart co-led the mission team comprised of 20 students from multiple departments and social clubs with alumnus Zach Cowdery to Journey Mission Camp in Cacacamas, Honduras. The team had originally planned to travel to a separate camp located in Santa Ana, Honduras, but chis initial location closed down in fall 2017, before spring break. "There really wasn't that strong [of] evidence chat the camp was going to close down," Stewart said. "And then eventually early on in the process, we got news that they were going to close, and then we were kind of looking around for what other place we [could] go." Stewart said that the group was unsure about what sort of tasks digging a ten-foot hole, cutting and shaping rebar or mixing and moving concrete --- whatever the task was, we were all in it together and that ended up being a really fun and rewarding experience." The team also had an opportunity to spend time with children in the community, visiting a local primary school and a special-needs orphanage. For some students, like junior exercise science major Braden Jarnagin, it was their first mission trip experience. According to Jarnagin, the time spent with the children provided some of his favorite memories. "The smiles on the kids faces made me realize why we even went in the first place --- to show that God's love exists," Jarnagin said. "We went to Honduras hoping to show love to those kids, but they were the ones who showed love to us and changed our hearts for the bette.r." Stewart said that the mission trip succeeded because the team asked Director ofJourney Mission Camp Wilmer Espinoza what he believed they would be assisting with in Cacacamas up until the time they arrived. Stewart said the team assisted Journey Mission Camp with the construction of walls around one of the camp's buildings and the digging of a well. Senior English major Morgan Taylor said the demanding nature "We went to Honduras hoping to show love to those kids, but they were the ones who showed love to us and changed our hearts for the better." the camp needed help with rather than creating their own plan based on how the team thought they could assist the camp. "We went there and pretty much just spoke to Wilmer and were like, 'What do you need us to do?' and he pretty much told us everything," of the work was what allowed the team to bond. "We were all willing to do what needed to be done," Taylor said. "Whether that was deconstructing and then rebuilding an entire deck, Stewart said. "Success is showing the person that is in front of you the love of Jesus and [that] all the other things that happen is just up to God." story by Caleb Manor & Madison Bassett The Honduras Spring Break Missions team travels to ·the Talgua caves in Catacamas, Honduras, on March 4, 2018. The group commuted in open trucks throughout the week. I photo by Hannah Foust JuniorMeghan Hickerson and senior Morgan Taylor spend time with a group ofchildren at a church service in Catacamas, Honduras,-on March 4, 2018. The students worshiped with a local church while serving in the area. I photo by Hannah Foust JuniorEthan Flowers passes out pieces ofcandy to a group ofprimary school students in Catacamas, Honduras, on March 7, 2018. The mission team was amazed by how well they were received by local residents when reaching out to the community. I photo by Hannah Foust Graduate student Drew Davis shovels dirt into a truck on March 8, 2018, in Catacamas, Honduras. One ofthe group's tasks during the week was to clear out a ten-foot hole for a water tank at journey Mission Camp. I photo by Hannah Foust 262
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==