As students returned from summer break, many came with stories of their adventures across the globe from a variety of summer ministries. Some were “set loose in a new country” and “exposed to new people and cultures” like Beth Wood. Others channeled their “love for youth” and served at camps like Evan Bowen. Still others desired to “build their career” like Braden Hicks. From these different perspectives, students can gain a wider understanding of the opportunities available for summer ministries.
Study Abroad is offered through Bob Jones University and provides credit for students to experience other cultures while developing their specific major. Wood, a senior French major, benefited from getting immersed in the culture and meeting new people during her trip to Cyprus and France. Wood describes this shift of culture as global fluency, which is learning to adapt to social situations. Hicks, a sophomore culinary arts major, described his culinary experience in Austria and Slovakia as “less tourism and more making connections.”
“The world is big, but we’re all human and we all need the Gospel,” Wood said.
Living in these countries for a brief time gave both Wood and Hicks a new perspective on their career. For Wood, the experience of living with a solely French speaking unsaved woman burdened her to break through language barriers and share the Gospel. Hicks now desires to cook for the right motivation: to make connections and witness to others. Sometimes, this mission can even overcome language barriers. Hicks’s group made a meal for a German-speaking church. Through this opportunity, he recognized the use of food to communicate and minister to others through the deep history and tradition of the food in Austria.
That meal was the highlight of his trip, and the trip was the peak of his college education, he said. Hicks emphasized the value of experience over knowledge. If you don’t know how to use it, why learn it? He hopes to return and work for a hotel manager he met at a church in Austria. After all, he has now seen a demonstration of the imperial strudel recipe at the Schönbrunn Palace.
Wood wants to return to Cyprus someday, where cats are in abundance because, apparently, they keep the snakes off the island. Who knew?
As BJU students observed in REACH week at the end of September, numerous camp ministries need godly counselors. Bowen, a junior science education major, filled this role for 10 weeks at The Wilds of North Carolina. He said he found it encouraging to “be among people of the same mindset.” This mindset allowed Bowen to learn how to have deeper spiritual conversations and sustain healthy relationships with the right goals.
Through the busy schedule and tiring weeks, Bowen was motivated by a desire for impact even when no fruit was apparent. The goal of camp ministry is not just salvation, but also planting seeds. Sometimes those seeds grow and flourish. Bowen led a camper to the Lord during Bowen’s first week by taking him through God’s plan of salvation in the Romans Road. Bowen’s main takeaway from his time at camp is the complete satisfaction found in Christ and the importance of forming a relationship with Him through the Bible.
Thanks to the work of communication professor Dr. Paul Radford and world languages professor Dr. Jeremy Patterson on the French trip and Robert Hansen, culinary arts professor, and Brenda Hansen, world languages professor, on the culinary journey, these students experienced a new culture and learned to apply their skills. Thanks to Bowen’s humble submission to God’s working, a new Christian entered God’s kingdom, and many grew closer to accepting Christ as their own. As Bowen said, “sacrifice is worth it.”
See information on BJU Study Abroad, summer mission trips and opportunities for summer ministries at the BJU Center for Global Opportunities.
