Approximately 220 Freed-Hardeman University students spent some or all of their spring breaks on mission trips. Thirteen groups of students worked in six foreign countries and seven states between March 10 and March 19.
Students and, in some cases, FHU faculty and staff members worked in a variety of locales and areas of ministry. Groups went to Paraguay, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and the Cayman Islands as well as to New York, Texas, Florida, Wisconsin, Alabama, Texas, and Tennessee. Their work ranged from medical missions and house repair to more traditional door knocking and evangelistic efforts.
FHU faculty and staff members, students, and members of the Estes and Henderson churches of Christ went to Port au Prince, Haiti, where delivered approximately 1,000 pairs of flip flops to those visiting the medical clinics conducted by the group. They also delivered a variety of other needed goods. In addition, they participated in an evangelistic campaign.
Members of Phi Kappa Alpha, a campus social club, worked with Rainbow Omega in Eastaboga, Ala. Rainbow Omega provides residential and vocational programs for adults with developmental disabilities.
Members of Sigma Rho, also a campus social club, returned to the Dominican Republic where they worked with a children’s home and conducted vacation Bible schools. The group also did various kinds of manual labor, depending upon the need. They also provided food and Bible tracts to residents of a local landfill where a number of people have built their houses.
More than 40 members of Theta Nu went to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to work with TORCH missions. Their duties included building houses, visiting a hospital, and conducting two vacation Bible schools. Spanish-speaking club members also went into the mountains and studied the Bible with residents.
One group comprised of FHU students who attend the Bethel Springs Church of Christ went to Plano, Texas, where they conducted a gospel meeting with preaching done by two faculty members, Jim Barr and Neil Segars, and two students, Wayne Scott and Matthew Moore. They combined the evangelistic work with youth devotionals, visits to a hospital and nursing home, and work on children’s Bible class curricula.
Those going to the Cayman Islands were involved in planting a church on the island. This included door knocking and giving invitations to Bible study. College men did the preaching for a gospel meeting and college women taught children’s classes.
Chi Beta Chi members divided into three groups and went to Albany, N.Y.; Janesville, Wis.; and Paraguay. Fourteen students headed for Rockledge, Fla., while nine went to Mobile, Ala., and inner city ministry. A group of fifteen students and faculty stayed close to home as they conducted an evangelistic campaign in the Finger, Tenn., area.