Lipscomb students bring light to children at LeBonheur Children's Hospital
Tristan Brew |
This past summer the Lipscomb Student Government Association along with the GoLucyGo Foundation began planning a mission trip that embedded Lipscomb students in the patient care experience at LeBonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.
The hard work and planning came to fruition on Oct. 20 when Josh Roberts, dean of student development, took a group of nine students to the hospital for a two-day mission trip.
Prior to their participation at the hospital, Lipscomb students completed a volunteer orientation with Janie Owens, president of the LeBonheur Club, and were given the opportunity to acclimate themselves to their surroundings by interacting with hospital staff, touring the facilities and working with the young patients.
During the mission trip, students visited with hundreds of patients, gave toys and books to children and provided personal care items and toiletries to parents and caretakers.
The students also participated in, produced and hosted a special version of the hospital's interactive game show that featured them dressed in a variety of costumes delivering prizes to the game winners who were in attendance.
During the trip, one member of the mission team was stationed in the hospital chapel all day Saturday as part of a prayer vigil in order to pray over and with the families that they had met.
"I'm proud of the student team for being able to serve so many families here in Memphis,” Roberts said.
Utilizing funding that was provided by GoLucyGo, Lipscomb students were also able to host a cookout for the residents of the FedEx Family House in Memphis, serve a catered meal on the neurosurgery patient floor of LeBonheur Children's Hospital and serve gourmet lunches to parents and caretakers of patients.
“We are very thankful for the Lipscomb student volunteers who were able to help further our mission here this weekend,” Kate Rose Krull, executive director of the GoLucyGo Foundation, said.
Hannah Fox, student leader of the weekend mission trip said, "Serving at LeBonheur was a beautiful opportunity for the Lord to break our hearts for what breaks His, provide necessities to families at LeBonheur,” and added “as a team we were all able step into the brokenness of disease, confusion and pain and provide comfort through simple conversation and, at times, something as simple as giving someone a toothbrush and some toothpaste."
Lipscomb’s SGA president Carson Panovec said the experience made a long-lasting and significant impact on him. "LeBonheur is an extremely inspirational patient care center that isn’t concerned about just treating diseases,” he said. "The hospital is full of two very conflicting emotions: fear and hope. It was awesome to be the part that tips the scales towards hope."
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