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Students impact lives on Spring Break trips in the U.S. and around the world

While Spring Break is usually a time for college students to recharge and rest, hundreds of Liberty University students used their time off to assist those in need.

From helping to deliver babies in Rwanda, to working with refugees in Spain, to teaching music to children in Nicaragua, the opportunity to interact with the local community and meet needs was a huge aspect of the 24 trips that the university hosted through LU Send.

In Spain, nearly 100 students from academic programs such as communications, social work, psychology, and theater arts worked with refugees as part of Liberty’s G5 initiative. The group partnered with Christar International and the Spanish Red Cross at a base camp in Malaga, where they prepared housing for incoming refugees and hosted family-friendly events.

They also handed out supplies that were purchased by students during this semester’s Global Focus Week and conducted a cleanup of the beaches at Marina del Este.

“God showed me His intense love for the refugees we were serving and that He desires for us to love them just as He loves us,” said Liberty student Kathryn Larson. “This means going out of our comfort zone to reach them and meet their physical needs, but also to share with them the hope of the Gospel.”

In Kenya, a team of nursing students and professors used their medical skills to help those in need. The team partnered with a local church to host a free clinic and assisted caregivers at a local children’s home. They also visited area schools where they handed out kits with resources and disposable products for girls and women.

A team of nursing students also traveled to Rwanda and hosted free clinics throughout the week. They taught basic nutrition, hygiene, and dental care in local schools. The team worked alongside staff who serve with Samaritan’s Purse to observe deliveries and aid in postnatal care at a local hospital.

“As a nursing student seeking to learn about healthcare, as well as a citizen of the Lord’s kingdom seeking to care for and love on those in need, I found our trip to Rwanda one of the most convicting and applicable mission trips I’ve ever been on,” said Liberty student Anna Lovin. “We were able to come alongside those impoverished and in need, learn from them, love them, and exemplify to them the great love the Lord loves us with.”

Closer to home, a team of 10 students and staff members traveled to Alabama where they assisted Samaritan’s Purse with relief efforts following a series of deadly tornados in Lee County. The team ministered to homeowners as they helped clear debris.

“It was a breath of fresh air for a distressed community to have a group of college students show love and kindness through their hard work and relief efforts,” LU Send Associate Director Holly Griswold said. “We were blessed to play a small part in their recovery.”

Samaritan’s Purse CEO and President Franklin Graham recognized the team’s hard work and shared photos of the team on social media.

Students also traveled to Jamaica, Israel, England, Costa Rica, India, Greece, Atlanta, Ga., and Asheville, N.C., over the break.

Spring Break 2019 marked the largest participation in LU-sponsored trips to date, with more than 500 Liberty students, faculty, and staff. Each trip had an academic, cultural, and service component and was open to students from all disciplines.

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