Interest grows in spring break mission, service trips
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World events of recent months have not dampened the enthusiasm among Lipscomb University students for spring break mission and service trips around the world.
In fact, interest has grown, says Dr. Earl Lavender, associate professor of Bible and director of Lipscomb's missions program.
Nearly 200 students are leaving this weekend to work in seven foreign countries and four sites in the United States, Lavender said, including a group of 60 students who will work at the City of Children in Ensenada, Mexico.
"Initially, we had a lot of calls from concerned parents, so we expected a drop off from previous years. But we've had an increase in interest because of the questions raised by Sept. 11. Instead of fear, students are more passionate about being involved in important things," Lavender said.
Two trips to eastern European countries were cancelled because of unsettled conditions. "Ukraine is about as far east as we can go right now," Lavender said. Kiev is one of the sites included this spring.
Students will be working with medical missions, orphanages and the homeless, on construction projects, in ministry projects with small churches, and Habitat for Humanity, among other projects, Lavender said.
"What we're trying to do in our mission program at Lipscomb is to say that life is not about success in business. It's about being faithful servants of God.
"So we're placing a greater emphasis on such activities as medical missions. A group will spend the summer digging wells. These activities are not to the exclusion of preaching, but do illustrate that everyone can be involved in ministry. We have a wider spread of students participating from across all disciplines, not just more ministry students. That's exciting to me," Lavender said.