From March 8 to 15, 92 students from Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) spent their spring break spreading God’s light and serving His people through mission trips to Arizona, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Northern Ireland. These mission trips not only gave students the opportunity to help others and evangelize, but it also gave them the opportunity to grow in their own faith.
Learn about their unique experiences below.
A Rapid Rearrangement for the Albanian Team
This team of 12 students was initially supposed to go to Albania, but they were unexpectedly redirected to Northern Ireland for safety reasons. However, the last-minute redirection allowed the team to temporarily fill the need of a mission partner there.
“[The mission partners] expressed their gratitude for our presence, which was clearly God’s providence, because the trip was so last minute,” said Jake Swad, a junior studying ministry leadership and a co-leader on the trip.
While in Belfast, the team evangelized to other college students, built meaningful relationships, and supported each other when faced with challenges.
“We were there for one another, really bearing each other’s burdens and picking up each other through encouragement and exhortation,” Swad said.
An Allocated Land in Arizona
The mission trip across the country helped 16 students share the Gospel and experience an unfamiliar culture by visiting the Navajo Nation reservation in Arizona where they served the Diné people.
The team assisted with light construction work and hosted a short Vacation Bible School program.
“Some days these projects felt minimal in the grand scheme of things. However, our eyes were opened to the impact the smallest projects have,” shared team leader Kyra Shirk, a sophomore studying ministry leadership.
They also had the opportunity to hand out Bibles to children who did not have their own and build relationships with the local community.
“There were days on this trip when I was challenged physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” Shirk confided. “Yet, [God] used those days to remind me of His presence and His character.”
Painting Brazil with the News of Christ
The team of 18 students in Brazil also had several opportunities to evangelize through ministry and community service projects. Every day, they organized and led activities for children, men, and women, respectively. They left a visible impact in the community by painting houses, a service which adds five to seven years to the longevity of the homes.
“[The trip] helped us understand the global church and that God is much bigger than we imagined,” shared co-leaders Luke Stevens, a junior studying computer science, and Gabriela Alves, a senior in the pre-pharmacy program. “Being part of the body of Christ is a beautiful thing, and allows us to appreciate His power, His love for His children everywhere in the world. Missions makes us more aware of God’s sovereignty.”
Cultivating Curiosity in Colombia
The Columbia team of 14 students got to work with Calvary Church to cultivate curiosity in the local children by sharing and answering questions about different careers that can be pursued through higher education. While answering these questions and educating the children, the team was also able to spark curiosity and answer questions about the Christian faith.
“This trip taught us how to lean on God more and to keep our faith strong to better serve others around us,” shared trip leaders Lilianna Rangel, a sophomore studying intercultural studies, and Daniel Lessa, a junior studying management and business administration.
Living Water for El Salvador
Many countries in the world struggle with access to clean water. In response to this need, the team of 16 students partnered with Filter of Hope to install water filters in local homes and spread the Gospel simultaneously.
“Our team distributed 39 filters, 65 people heard the Gospel, 22 accepted Christ, and overall, 312 people were impacted,” shared team leaders Ambar Pena, a sophomore studying nursing, and Gabriel Almeida, a sophomore studying exercise science. “We not only gave these people filters, but we also connected them to the local church community.”
But the trip was not without challenges. The team faced physically taxing days and struggled with a language barrier. Although translators helped, the team was challenged to lean on and serve each other.
“This trip was such a blessing and a reminder of how powerful it is to serve others,” said Pena and Almeida. “It not only impacted the community we served but also changed us in ways we will carry for the rest of our lives.”
Building Futures in Honduras
The Honduras team of 16 students partnered with the Children’s Impact Network (CIN), an organization that rescues children from situations where they are experiencing abandonment, abuse, or neglect. Together, they advanced construction on an apartment-style building that, when complete, will be used to house missionaries near the children CIN serves in the organization’s Life Center.
The team got the opportunity to care and pray for orphans. They also partnered with a local pastor to encourage and pray for the Christian community there and led a Sunday school program about Daniel and the Lion’s Den (Daniel 6:10-23) for the local children.
“We got to experience the renewing power of Christ in a very real way,” summarized the trip leaders, Kennedy Mosher, a junior studying ministry leadership and communications, and Luke Powell, a junior studying marketing.
Learn more about PBA mission trips at https://www.pba.edu/campus-life/christian-community/student-missions/.
