At home and abroad: summer mission teams minister across the globe
Posted by The Skyliner on September 16th, 2009Samantha Mayo
Staff Writer
This summer North Greenville University sent out two L.I.G.H.T. teams. One team spent almost the entire summer ministering at Lakewood campground in Myrtle Beach.
Some of the Lakewood team’s responsibilities were to lead worship services and to help with children’s ministry. The main purpose of the team, however, was to look for opportunities to share the gospel through relational evangelism. Team members were able to meet and spend time with vacationers from all over the east coast. Through the relationships they formed, the Lakewood team members were able to lead more than 200 people to salvation over the course of the summer.
The second summer mission team spent about 10 days in Athens, Greece working at a shelter for Turkish refugees. The team spent time with the refugee children, taught English lessons and distributed food and clothing.
According to Melanie James, sophomore intercultural studies, the highlight of the trip was spending time developing relationships with the refugees and hearing their stories.
Many of the refugees were fleeing for their lives. Once they arrived in Greece, they faced severe prejudice, unemployment, language barriers and constant fear of being pursued by the life they left behind.
“It made me thankful for freedom, for what we have. I don’t have to fear that someone is going to come after me and kill me today,” James said.
James’ experience with the refugees also gave her a new appreciation for God’s work in other cultures.
“You just see that God is in control and that He is the God of all people, not just people in the United States,” she said.
According to Dr. Allen McWhite, director of global missions, one of the purposes behind sending out mission teams is to give students opportunities to encounter and learn from different cultures like James did this summer. Whether it is Muslim culture, like what James experienced working with the Turkish refugees, or American postmodern culture like the Myrtle Beach team faced, McWhite says he hopes mission teams give students the opportunity to interact with different cultures, to build relationships and most importantly, to share the gospel.
Over Christmas break this year, students will have a chance to share the gospel in China and Uganda. McWhite says the Uganda team will be able to share openly by participating in a wide variety of ministries such as sports evangelism, street evangelism, worship services and youth and children’s activities.
The China team will take a different approach by using the Christmas holiday to open doors in a country that is closed to the gospel.
“Christmas is known in China, but the real meaning of Christmas, the person of Christ and His significance is not generally known. Christmas provides an opportunity … to talk about Jesus in a more open way, even though you still have to be careful and cautious,” McWhite said.
Students interested in being part of the China or Uganda team this Christmas should contact McWhite at amcwhite@ngu.edu.
Tags: Fall 2009, Vol. 109 - Issue 2