SPC students give more than their summer to help others

by Chelsea Baham, staff writer

 

For most college students, summer is a time to relax and spend time with family and friends.

But for a handful of students at South Plains College, this past summer held great opportunity to help people around the world.  These students got involved in missionary work through the Baptist Student Ministry on campus.

A non-profit organization called Go Now Missions conducted local interviews, including an extensive online application process. For those accepted, a weekend of group projects, missions, and interviews followed.  At the conclusion of the weekend, the group leaders working for Go Now make recommendations for those attending to be placed where the abilities of the students would be best suited.

In order to support their trips, the students participated in work days through the BSM to raise money. This work included everything from yard work to painting fences. Donations were accepted by other students.

The mission trips lasted anywhere from four to 11 weeks from May to August.  Among the nine students who participated in the summer missions was Shane McDaniel, who is a former SPC student now attending Angelo State University.  McDaniel went to East Asia, where he interacted with college students his own age.

“They were trying to do the same as me, just get by while enjoying their family and friends,” McDaniel says. He also had the chance to study the native language at a local university.

Brothers Isaias Torres and Raul Torres lived in Colts Neck, New Jersey, working in the nearby town of Freehold.  Their mission trip was called Hispanic Outreach.  They held ESL classes for Spanish-speaking people.  They also helped teach the people about their civil rights.  Colts Neck Community Church let them work with the youth group as worship leaders

 “While being there, I learned some other aspects of God, like His way of using all of our capabilities for His purpose,” says Isaias Torres

Daniel Butts went to Chan Chen, Mexico, where he taught English classes to elementary and high school students, with two other missionaries.  The program for the local students was voluntary. Butts explained that each day the school would announce the class over the intercom for those who wanted to attend.  He spent six weeks doing his mission work.

Krista Daniel, who graduated from SPC in May, worked with orphans and local children in Peru. During the four weeks she was there, Daniel helped out with Vacation Bible School and an organization called Shoes for Souls, which passes out shoes to the kids. 

During VBS, she mostly worked with the crafts and sports activities.  When asked why she spent her summer doing these missions, Daniel responded, “God has blessed me with material things and a great family. I wanted to help those who haven’t been so blessed.”

Trace Thomas went to the world tour Passion Conference in Uganda. The conference was held during a Friday and Saturday in May. During his stay, he helped gather students to attend the conference. 

Thomas also went to Tokyo, Japan in July.  There he socialized with college students at a local university.  Part of the mission work was to hand out stories of the gospel in the form of a Japanese comic book.  His group would pass out these comic books at a big park, which is known for local talent acts and also is a popular hangout.

 Shibuya intersection is the most well known intersection in Tokyo.  Thomas and his group stood with signs reading “5-minute English lessons” in the middle of the intersection.  As the local people approached the students, it was explained that the students were involved with a Christian organization. 

Thomas said that the people were very friendly and very interested in talking with the Americans.  He also talked about a girl he met who said that she had a Bible but did not understand it.

 “I plugged her in with a missionary there,” Thomas says. “I’m not sure how the situation turned out, but I’m happy I helped start that relationship.”

Brie Moynihan proves that you “don’t have to cross an ocean to be considered a missionary.”  She worked with Mission Arlington, in Arlington, Texas.

This organization helped families in the area with needs such as clothes, toys, furniture, and food.  Mission Arlington’s main mission is to take the church to the people in the city, rather than having the people come to the church. 

Moynihan worked at apartment churches at five different apartment complexes in the city.  She also helped out at a church, working with kids whose ages ranged from 7 to 17.  She said that “just being out there” was helpful to the community.

 “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called,” Moynihan says, “All you have to be and do is to be willing to do God’s work.”

              

Photos by Ashley Neal/Plainsman Press

Photo courtesy of Brie Moynihan