A ministry team from Charleston Southern University recently participated in a week of evangelism in Baltimore, Md. The group, led by campus minister Clark Carter, partnered with Embrace Baltimore, a two-year emphasis by the North American Mission Board.
Students from Charleston Southern University participated in a mission trip to Baltimore, Md., over spring break.“This was the most diverse group I have ever taken on a mission trip,” said Carter. ” The great thing was that God used all of us to minister in a powerful way to the people of Baltimore.”
The team ministered at The Church on Warren Avenue (formerly known as Lee Street Memorial) in a variety of outreach initiatives, from outdoor concerts to ministry in a recreation center in which dozens were ministered to each day. The team cleaned out the church and reorganized its supplies, hosted a Parents Night Out in which 22 children attended, ministered to homeless in the area and purchased a bicycle for one homeless man so he could get to and from work.
“On this mission trip to Baltimore, God blew us away,” said Dustin Bowers, a junior from Rock Hill. “Being obedient to God by embarking on this trip was the greatest spring break ever,” he added.
Jaimee LaFave, director of mobilization for Embrace Baltimore, was impressed with the team from CSU. “It was so great to have the team from Charleston Southern come and serve in Baltimore with The Church on Warren Avenue. They truly represented the Embrace Baltimore spirit by embracing the region with the love of Christ in the Federal Hill neighborhood,” she said.
CSU junior Danielle Jenkins from Hampton has faith in the long-term effects of the trip. “God is going to do great things in Baltimore because of Charleston Southern University students. God is going to make CSU a better campus because Baltimore has helped unify individuals and stretch us out of our comfort zones and reach those who have not walked with Christ,” she said.
Carter affirmed the impact of the ministry team’s outreach in Baltimore. “Not only was Baltimore touched by us being there, but we have been changed forever because of the work God did in and through us,” he said.