In partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, a Liberty University Serve Now team traveled to Hammond, La., from Sept. 25-Oct. 3 to minister to families whose homes had been heavily damaged by Hurricane Ida in late August.
LU Serve’s mission is to minister to and serve the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of individuals and communities, working alongside world-class organizations and leaders.
Led by LU Serve Director Chad Nelson and fellow staff member Abby Sanders, the team of seven students worked on 13 different homes, from taking down sheet rock and insulation to pulling up flooring and throwing away furniture and clothing damaged by mold. They also cleared yards of storm debris and spent time ministering to and sharing the Gospel with each family before offering them a new Bible.
“The mission of Liberty University is Training Champions for Christ,” Nelson said. “Everything about a trip such as this one is very Christ-centric. Students are really spurred to grow in Christ.”
Throughout the trip, students were able to serve those who have given their lives to serve others, even in small and seemingly insignificant ways.
“Oftentimes on the trip, chaplains would serve us meals,” Nelson said. “On a couple of different days, Liberty students on their own initiative just got up and told the chaplains to go sit down so that they could serve the meal. Even outside of a jobsite, you’d see the spirit of Christ being exemplified in the students.”
Micah Seguin, a senior studying business administration, said that while the team was able to assist in property cleanup, the main highlight of their trip was the spiritual impact it had on the families.
“This was a great way to practice being like Christ,” Seguin said. “Not just meeting their physical needs, but meeting their emotional and spiritual needs as well. … We saw a lot of people come to Christ.”
