While many students enjoy going to the beach, the mountains and exotic locales for Spring Break, others take these trips with a higher purpose in mind.
Some on-campus religious organizations travel on mission trips during Spring Break, helping others and spreading God’s word, all while seeing various parts of the world.
Mundo Meneses, a University graduate who currently serves as a University chaplain, said 10 to 20 members of the non-denominational Living Waters organization go on a mission trip every spring break.
Meneses said the group visited countries such as Russia and Romania and this year plans to go to Peru.
“I think it’s more exciting than just a regular trip,” Meneses said. “It gives you another perspective. It definitely opens your eyes.”
Meneses said participants on the trip plan various activities to help those less fortunate, including visits to orphanages and halfway houses, assisting with church activities and presenting dramas.
“Of course, we always share the Gospel,” Meneses said.
While Living Waters will be heading to South America, about 250 people from the Baptist Collegiate Ministry are going to cities in northern Mexico as part of their eleventh spring break mission trip, said Trisha Turrentine, a family, child and consumer sciences senior and a BCM mission trip leader.
Turrentine said activities for the group include hosting Bible clubs for children, leading a cheerleading camp, painting and construction work.
“We’re usually sleeping on concrete floors, and there’s no hot water,” Turrentine said.
Despite the sacrifices, Turrentine said participants still are excited about helping others.
“Most of the people are raring to go,” Turrentine said. “It’s so rewarding to get to work with people.”
Meneses said while some students had concerns about traveling abroad, especially after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, there was never a doubt about whether to continue attending the mission trips.
“We were a little apprehensive,” Meneses said. “But you just have to make wise choices and know the Lord is watching out for you.”
Turrentine agreed the rewards outweigh the risk.
“It’s an amazing opportunity, and the Lord always has opened the door wide open,” she said.
Members of Christ the King Catholic Church will be staying closer to home as 13 students will be going to St. Louis on the church’s first Spring Break mission trip, but the purpose remains the same.
“We’re going to be planning activities for children who have been abused,” said Jeanna Harb, a psychology junior. “We’ll also be working at a homeless shelter and doing some entertainment at one of the nursing homes.”
Harb said while the group will be helping people, they also will be touring sites around the area.
“You get to go and you have fun, but you’re helping people at the same time,” Harb said.
For most of these students, the mission trips are an eye-opening experience, making them more appreciative of the things in their own lives.
“It makes you appreciate the diversity in the United States,” Meneses said. “I see it as a privilege, not a burden.”
Turrentine said helping those less fortunate makes many participants think about their priorities.
“It shows how materialistic we are. It reminds us of what’s important in life,” she said.
Meneses said there is no doubt that going on these trips makes a difference in everyone’s lives.
“People receive you so well,” Meneses said. “You impact somebody else’s life, and that is an incredible thing.”