North Greenville University students covered the globe as mission and outreach teams headed out over the summer. More than 20 countries and five continents were reached by people from the NGU campus.
NGU students on mission in Uganda.More than 100 students and faculty members traveled across the country and abroad with numerous organizations. From living in villages in the mountains of Honduras to leading a soccer camp in the heart of New York City, the opportunities were many.
Keris Patterson, from Hendersonville, N.C., traveled to Honduras with a team led by professor Weston Warren of the foreign language department. For three weeks, they took classes in Spanish conversation and culture. Afterward, they lived in Opimuca, a small mountain village, where they helped with a mission organization’s medical clinic. They worked as translators and administered some medications.
“Hands down,” said Patterson, “my favorite part about the trip was in the first three weeks. We lived with Honduran families who spoke no English at all. We were absolutely submerged in the culture.”
Chad Gfeller, men’s head soccer coach, along with Jesse McCormick (women’s head soccer coach) and five students, traveled to New York City with Spread Truth. His team was there for a week in the heart of Spanish Harlem. Each day they hosted a soccer camp for children living in poverty. At the end of each day, they led a devotional. “There was this one particular boy that my guys had been working with all week,” Gfeller said. “On the last day of the trip, I got to lead him to Christ. That was definitely my favorite part of the trip.”
Many students went on mission trips not sponsored by the university.
Brian Stephens from Wellford traveled to the Ukraine and East Asia. While in Kiev, Stephens worked with WinShape International, an entity of Chick-fil-A. He taught English classes with other Chick-fil-A employees and had multiple opportunities to share the gospel. Stephens also traveled to East Asia with Impact Sports International, where he reached out to children and teenagers while playing ping-pong.
“We would play for nearly four hours. By the end of playing, we had created relationships with the students,” Stephens said. “I would arrive in the countries with my plans already made. But soon, I found myself in situations that I did not foresee. When all my plans failed, God began working his plans right before my eyes.” – NGU