Teams traverse the globe
Students from CGE journey to 10 locations around the world sharing hope
Nearly 150 Liberty University students spent their spring breaks not sprawled out on warm sand in Florida or road-tripping across America, but traveling overseas to serve others while sharing the message of hope.
CULTURAl Engagement — Students experienced the unique architecture of Southeast Asia. Photo provided
Each of the 11 Global Teams, under the guidance of the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), spent a week and a half serving the people of Ghana, East Africa, the Philippines and many other locations across the world. While some of the countries were familiar to past teams, CGE also sent teams to work with new partner organizations in areas such as Cebu and the Balkan Peninsula.
“The Center for Global Engagement’s desire is to raise awareness on Liberty’s campus and foster a global perspective across the student body,” a report released by CGE stated. “This is in part accomplished through the global programs and trips that we offer.”
Liberty aims to design their Global Studies programs and the Global Teams’ trips to provide students with the necessary experiences to build relationships with whomever they are in contact with through their vocation.
Students received training during the months prior to the trips to assist them in understanding the beliefs and values of the cultures they would visit. Once teams arrived to their destinations they each performed various tasks appropriate to their perspective locations. Even though the day-to-day activities of each team differed, their overarching purposes remained the same — to serve and share the hope of the gospel in each unique, cultural context.
“The CGE connects the teams with people who are working locally,” according to the report. “The teams are sent to places where they can help the workers with what is being done there.”
PACIFIC OCEAN — Students experienced life on the other side of the world through international trips. Photo provided
According to CGE, many of the students on the Global Teams plan on serving overseas in some capacity after graduation. The short-term trips allowed them to be exposed to other cultures and allowed them to build relationships with the partner organizations and hosts.
Sophomore Emi Oyama traveled as a part of the group in Bosnia. The group assisted a local organization that coordinated activities for the youth in the area.
“Every day was really filled,” Oyama said. “We taught English and distriuted food around the town.”
The food distribution provided the team the opportunity to converse with the locals.
“It was a great chance to hear their stories, and, in turn, we got to tell ours,” Oyama said.
Junior Rachel Gross was a part of the team in Thailand that worked primarily with university students and with hosts that taught English classes. Gross said she believes the group was valuable in helping their hosts connect with students.
“It can be difficult for them to build relationships with so many students,” Gross said. “They really appreciated having a team of Liberty students there that could serve their students and relate to them.”
As Oyama and Gross both prepare to serve full-time after graduation, they both believe their education at Liberty will continue to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively share the story of hope.
“When you’re able to form a relationship with someone, you’re able to have a bigger impact on their life,” Gross said.
More information about Global Teams and upcoming trips can be found on CGE’s website at liberty.edu/globalteams.
CLARKE is a guest writer.