Students in on-campus Christian organizations are answering a call to serve the less fortunate during winter break. The Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Christ the King Catholic Church and Campus Crusaders for Christ all are sponsoring service trips to areas out of the state or even the country.
The Sept. 11 attacks inspired the BCM’s New York City trip, which originated in 2001 after the attacks. A few members of the BCM and Baton Rouge’s Parkview Baptist Church community visited the city.
“Volunteers sang Christmas carols to the firefighters and the policemen,” said Jared Richard, a junior English major. “They were really grateful for our support.”
Volunteers also gave out boxes of Tony Chachere’s, Tabasco, Zapp’s potato chips and pralines.
One hundred fifty students have volunteered for the 2003 week-long trip. They will sing Christmas carols and will visit ministry organizations on local college campuses. A group of students have opted to volunteer at a women’s help center.
Forty students from Christ the King on campus will evangelize and work with the community of Saltillo, Mexico.
“We will be visiting Saltillo’s barrios and rancheros for a week and interacting with those communities,” said Katie Watson, a general studies junior. “Our main focus is to spread the word of God.”
Students will help conduct Catholic church services for the congregation who, because of a shortage of priests, only have services every few weeks. Volunteers will participate in other activities to meet the Saltillo community, such as painting women’s nails and giving toys and candy to children.
Campus Crusade for Christ volunteers are participating in the Dallas Winter Conference, where students from universities in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma meet for a religious retreat and convention.
Volunteers also are participating in the Day of Outreach, a part of the convention where different groups of students are assigned to volunteer and serve at different locations throughout the city.
“One group will have a prison ministry opportunity,” said Dawson Bean, a full-time campus minister for Campus Crusade. “Students will have the chance to talk to inmates.”
Other groups will pick up trash, visit South Dallas’ inner city residents and go door-to-door with their cause. Volunteers are working with regional leaders to coordinate these projects.
“We want to publicize after-school programs for local churches,” Bean said. “We want to give back to the community during the Christmas season.”