Liberty University hosted Global Focus Week Sept. 28 through Oct. 2, bringing 41 mission organizations to campus during the week.
The week allowed students to hear about mission opportunities and gain global awareness through events, guest speakers and tabling in the Montview Student Union.
Throughout the week, different mission organizations visited classrooms highlighting the importance of service and the opportunities that are available to students.
Emily Jackson, communications and special projects coordinator at LU Send, explained the different types of trips students can take.
“The neat thing about it is like every organization has so many different things to offer … whether it be an internship for 12 weeks, two weeks, a short-term mission trip or an opportunity for that student to go for the rest of their lives and serve the Lord,” Jackson said.
Organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, Greater Europe Mission (GEM), Cru and MissionGO tabled on campus throughout the week. The missionary staff educated students about how they could participate in the greater mission of sharing the gospel.
Two separate “Reach the Nations” events were held throughout the week to inform students on how to have faithful conversations with those of different cultures.
Reach the Nations: North Africa and the Middle East was held on Sept. 29 in the South Montview Ballroom, provided a time for students to learn about Islamic and Middle Eastern cultures.
On Oct. 1, Reach the Nations: Europe with GEM was held in the South Montview Ballroom. This event featured trivia, missionary testimonials and a time of prayer. Students learned about the state of Christianity in Europe and how they could be a vessel for the Lord on that continent.
Ten2 Project is a program under GEM that sends individuals out to be missionaries in Europe. Individuals who had previously completed the program shared their experiences.
Beyond the Reach the Nations programs, the week featured “Culture through Cuisine” events. According to the Global Focus Week website, this event allowed students to sample international cuisine and discover the cultures, traditions and stories that make each flavor unique from around the world.
Junior Morgan Rich explained how Global Focus Week impacted her.
“Global Focus Week has impacted my view of missions by just opening my eyes to different cultures,” Rich said. “It’s so cool to see all the cultures represented that I didn’t know about.”
Students who are interested in the mission organizations featured at Global Focus Week can find more information on the Global Focus Week website.
Hooker is a news reporter for The Liberty Champion.