A Liberty student’s firsthand experience serving in Spain over spring break
Journalism student Lydia Poindexter recently traveled to North Africa and Spain as a part of Liberty University’s G5 Initiative to focus on how Liberty students could serve the country of Spain. Lydia spent the first days of the trip in North Africa to learn about where many refugees come from before fleeing to Spain. Then Lydia traveled to Spain where Liberty partnered with Christar, an international organization working with refugees and immigrants in Málaga, Spain. Here is a glimpse into her journey.
Before the trip
Last October, Theater Arts professor Barry Gawinski approached me about joining the theater group to go to Spain with the G5 mission. I was amazed that I would be asked to go considering I was not a part of the theater group and knew practically no one in the department. Mr. Gawinski explained that my language skills in Arabic were a large factor in inviting me to join. After much prayer, I accepted the invitation knowing God was working in it. I was nervous on how it would go considering that I would be the only non-theater person on our team and wasn’t sure if I would fit in. From the very first introductory meeting God overwhelmed me with such a love for the group even though I barely knew their names.
As the time for the trip drew closer, the intensity of school assignments mounted as did the number of rehearsals. I was completely submerged in school work and not getting any sleep. Although it was a huge time investment especially the last two weeks before the trip where somedays we would have rehearsals for over five hours in a day, I loved being with the group and sensed God knitting us together in a special way.
God’s provision during the trip
The second day in Spain, several LU groups visited Christar’s headquarters and heard from three North Africa immigrants about their individual journeys. Two of the ladies had been in Spain long enough to speak in Spanish but the third lady spoke Darija, a specific dialect of Arabic.
At the end of our morning with them, the Christar leadership asked if some of us would pray for the women on behalf of all the LU groups present. Sam (Sherburne) started in Spanish. I then prayed in Arabic. Megan (Grant) prayed in English. Ms. Nastinka Morgan from a different LU focus team prayed in Farsi, and Mrs. Connie Hecker, our female theater chaperone, prayed again in English. After we finished praying, I was so proud of our theater group for taking initiative. When I looked up at the end of the prayers, the lady who only spoke in Arabic was wiping tears from her eyes. I waited for an opening and then introduced myself to the women in Arabic and conversed with them.
Before we had to leave for the next activity, one of the Spanish speaking ladies reached for my arm, took off her bracelet and placed it around my wrist. I was shocked and didn’t know what to say other than stammer “thank you” multiple times. She said she wanted me to have something to remember them by since she would definitely remember us. My face shone with gratitude and excitement at the opportunity God had opened. I was in awe of what happened knowing the significance of what the lady had done. I was reminded in that moment not to underestimate what God can do through simply our presence and our prayers. Our team didn’t provide the ladies money or tutor their kids in English or do anything tangible to help them, yet the Muslim women knew that we loved them.
On Friday, our team performed at the Artsenal, a creative art and culture hub in the heart of the city of Málaga. Our sound system had shut down, but last-minute God provided a huge speaker set we were able to use to project throughout the space. After singing several songs in English and Spanish, several team members performed short street dramas. Finally, we concluded with the “Everyman” drama, which takes the audience from the creation of man, through the fall and all the way to the redemption of man. Although the drama itself is wordless, we had team members speak the salvation prayer in English, Spanish, and then I translated it in Arabic. Following the performance, we dispersed into the crowd and were overwhelmed by people approaching us with positive responses. A famous secular Spanish singer commented that our team had done an amazing job. An Egyptian pastor came up to me and thanked me in Arabic for having our team come and share our presentation. We found out after the fact that ours was the first Christian performance in that space and it was opening doors for local worship leaders to come and present as well.
After the trip
Monday, our team arrived back in the States and instantly missed each other. It was the first day in a little over three weeks that we had not seen each other. Many groups after being together for so long would be extremely relieved to separate but we had become a family. We could not wait to see each other again and on Tuesday we gathered for a meal so we could be together.
I was so honored to be a part of the theater team and could not have imagined being in any other group. I saw God fulfill my purpose in being on the trip and could honestly say all the long hours and added stress was worth it. Once again, I watched God take one of my fears in joining the group for the trip and turn it into a massive blessing.
God is able everywhere
God’s provision was evident throughout the entire trip in ways we did not always see in the moment. With a large percentage of the population of North Africa identifying as Muslims, we had an opportunity share the light of Christ simply by the way we conducted ourselves.
In North Africa while on our way to our sightseeing location for the day, our theater team pulled out one of the guitars we had brought and started singing worship songs. Soon our Muslim tour guide’s attention perked and he came to the back of the bus with us to show us some of the American songs he knew. When he gave the guitar back, we continued worshiping for almost an hour. As praise poured out of our hearts, the guide sat watching intently and videotaping with his phone. Through this we were able to share the hope within us knowing it might have been the first time that such songs were sung on that bus or even on that road.
After arriving in Spain, as a theater group, we wrote individual notes to both guides and sent them with the other Liberty students who were visiting North Africa later that week. A day or two later, we received a note from one of the tour guides that he had cried again after receiving our card. His message said that we had gained a huge place in his heart.
During our time in Spain, God provided many unexpected opportunities. Twice we were able to raise awareness for our local partners through the local media. After performing on Tuesday at Christar’s business center, BIC Euronova, we were featured in at least two local newspapers. Following our Marina del Este beach cleanup day, our entire Liberty group made headlines in the Maritime Herald for our service with the environmental preservation group Playa Patrol.
As a theater group, we had two other spur of the moment, once in a lifetime opportunities. On Thursday in the middle of the afternoon during the Malaga Cinema Festival, we sang several songs in Spanish and English in the Roman amphitheater that dates back older than Christ. At one point we had an audience of over 40 people gathered around and listening. During our guided tour of the famous Málaga cathedral, we were granted permission to take a few minutes and sing “I Love You, Lord.” This was a very special, spontaneous honor.
On the last day we were in Spain, we performed at an Arabic culture center that reached out to North African immigrants and refugees. We used this unexpected blessing to share the gospel through drama. After the performance we were able to interact with the audience and make personal connections. Since being back in the States, we heard from the pastor who directs the ministry that he had a conversation with a man sparked by our presentation that led to the man accepting Jesus as his Savior.
We are continuing to hear stories from local ministries of how our presence and presentations impacted them. Though we will never know the full impact of the trip, it was an amazing experience watching God orchestrate so many unanticipated blessings.