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Union University announced GO Trips this week as part of the GO Week festivities. The 11 trips are oriented around one of three goals: living, learning or serving.
“Why would you not go?” said Dr. Taylor Worley, associate dean for University Ministries and assistant professor of Christian Thought & Tradition and team leader of this year’s South Africa trip. “You’ll be in discipleship relationships with faculty all year and go into a cross-cultural or intercultural context and apply what you’ve learned.”
Boston
Ten students can spend spring break partnering with three different church plants to serve the Boston Community through a variety of service projects. For example, one is reaching out to the international students on MIT’s campus through an ESL ministry.
“It’s a unique trip to see what church planting looks like in a variety of contexts,” said team leader Matthew Marshall, director for Service and Diversity Initiatives and director for Center for Racial Reconciliation. The cost is $995.
Connecticut
The goal of this trip, offered for eight students over spring break, is to partner with Bridge Church and reach out to University of Connecticut’s student body. Projects include prayer walking, surveying and promoting outreach events.
“This pastor and his family are solid, committed and established, and the field is ripe for the harvest,” said Yancey Pettigrew, director of Safety, Security and Risk Mitigation, who led the trip last year. The cost is $995.
Louisville
During spring break, eight students will work with a local nonprofit organization, Love Thy Neighbor, to build relationships with residents of low-income neighborhoods and encourage understaffed and underfunded ministries. The cost is $800.
New Orleans
Led by Jonathan Allen, clinical coordinator and assistant professor of Athletic Training, Physical Education, Wellness, and Sport, and his wife Crystal, this eight-member team will host events including crawfish boils and service projects to help Hope Church reach out to the multicultural community present in New Orleans.
“I’m excited to see a different side of Union’s students and get to know them on a deeper level,” said Crystal Allen. The cost is $800.
Tampa
This team of eight will spend spring break “serving with Covenant Life Church and helping them reach campuses across the city,” said Pettigrew, team leader. This is an opportunity to work in a predominantly nonbelieving environment, as only 100 students out of the University of Tampa’s 7,000 are known to be followers of Christ. The cost is $800.
Honduras
Led by Dr. Todd Brady, vice president for University Ministries and assistant professor of Ministry, Theology & Missions; Dr. Dub Oliver, Union University President; and First Lady Susie Oliver, a team of 35 will spend spring break encouraging and serving Orphanage Emmanuel, home to more than 500 children. In addition to helping care for the kids, team members will worship each night with Orphanage Emmanuel and work on various construction projects. The cost is $1,700.
Cape Town, South Africa
This trip, offered in late May, gives 10 students a chance to learn how South Africa is reconciling post-apartheid, as well as explore the role the church can play in addressing social justice issues like poverty, disease and equality. The trip also fulfills one social work credit and one Christian studies credit.
“For me, the big thing was seeing how people who have been oppressed for so long have learned to love again and clung to their faith,” said Kayleigh Carter, a Union graduate and South Africa trip team member last year. The cost is $4,300 plus tuition.
North Africa
Eight French, TESL and engineering students can spend 12 days using what they have learned in the classroom to serve missionaries and the people of North Africa as well as learn what working in an international context is like.
“We go to work with partners, do developmental relief work and provide engineering expertise . . . we try and show students how they can use their disciplines to support kingdom work,” said team leader Dr. Randy Schwint, professor of Engineering. The cost is $2,900.
Israel
This team of 10 students will spend 12 days experiencing Middle Eastern culture and connecting with Palestinian students while learning the history and geography of biblically significant sites such as Jerusalem and Bethlehem. In addition, the late May trip counts as credit for New Testament Survey.
“The trip is a wonderful opportunity to experience the place where Christ came and dwelt among us and see how God is working among the people there,” said Heather Vidal, junior biology major, who went last year. The cost is $4,300 plus tuition.
Central Asia
This 6-member team will immerse themselves in their city for the summer by studying the local language and intentionally developing relationships with other university students. Spending the summer in a predominately post-modern, Muslim culture will also teach them how to effectively communicate the gospel in another context.
“God is working there . . . the place we went has seen a rise in gospel interest every year. The people are incredible, the food is delicious and the city is beautiful,” said Brennan Kolbe, junior biblical studies major, who went over the summer. The cost is $5,400.
New York City
The goal of this summer-long trip is to gather research for the North American Mission Board in preparation for future church plants and ministries. As New York is home to over 800 cultures and language groups, this 10-member team will also get to build relationships and share the gospel in a wide variety of contexts.
“It’s a really formative trip . . . you quickly develop a larger vision of God’s world and become better at contextualizing the gospel,” said Zach Clemmons, junior Christian thought and tradition major, who went this past summer. The cost is $3,150.
Applications are due September 26, and the application fee is $40. The team reveal is October 20.
