|
Preparing the way
By Lindsay Goodier
Raise up your students
to hear My voice, to go where My light is dim, where My voice is
heard small, and My healing power is not known, even to the uttermost
bounds of the earth."
With this mandate constantly in the ears of ORU students, it is
not surprising that such a large percentage of the student body
has decided to become part of ORU Missions 2003. The Missions Department
has 525 students headed to 29 countries on 32 teams this spring
break and summer.
One of the goals of Dennis Russell, the Director of Missions, is
to see each ORU student become involved in some type of missions
before he or she graduates. "It is my desire that every student
participate in a cross-cultural missions experience at some point
during their four years at ORU-whether it is with ORU Missions or
not. I would like to see every student experience the life-changing
effect that my first missions trip had on me," Russell said.
Junior Tamara Blanke, a newcomer to ORU Missions, will be traveling
to Nigeria for one month this summer. Although she realizes that
the process of preparing for the trip can be strenuous, Blanke admitted
the Missions staff makes this time of preparation much easier. "I
am impressed with ORU Missions…I've never been a part of such an
organized missions outreach."
Even though spring break trips are still a few months away and the
summer trips are nearly half a year down the road, mission teams
are already getting to know each other.
"This extra time allows the teams to meet and work out the issues
they need to deal with before the trip even begins," said junior
Jerry Bailey, who went to Montreal last summer. "A unified team
says a lot more to a person than a hundred words could. This unity
is able to demonstrate how Christ has brought them together."
Team leaders and assistant team leaders play a big part in the team
building process. This year, the Missions staff is placing extra
attention on preparing the leaders for their positions. "The quality
of the leadership is reflected directly on the team," sophomore
Assistant Team Leader Danielle Voss said.
All of the leaders have already been engaged in a Team Leader Candidate
Camp and a Team Leader Retreat, which included sessions of scenarios,
low ropes courses and teachings with alumnus Jayde Duncan, Spiritual
Life Director John Thompson, Dr. Ralph Fagin and Dr. Raymond Smith.
According to Russell, ORU students-who will one day affect the world
by witnessing in areas such as the business place, on street corners
and from behind the pulpit-have the opportunity to catch the vision
that comes through taking part in a missions trip. "A world changer
needs a global worldview and short-term missions helps facilitate
the necessary worldview change."
|
){kind=link}