Students Prepare for Spring Break Missions

One hundred and eighty-seven students from Carson-Newman will be going on a S.P.O.T.S. trip to serve communities around the world. There are twelve trips offered this semester - nine in the United States and three international. "We truly have some amazing trips set for us this year," said Chad Morris, associate director of campus ministries.

The locations for the trips are as follows: Camden, NJ; Chattanooga, TN; Eagan, TN; Panama City, FL; Pearlington, MS; Philadelphia, PA; Bethel, Nicaragua; Jimani, Dominican Republic/Haiti; and Matamoras, Mexico.

The A Capella Choir will be touring in AL, GA, and SC and Seed Company will travel to both TN and PA.

"At C-N, our S.P.O.T.S. trips are about bringing healing to the places in our world that are broken," says Dave McNeely the youth and college minister at First Baptist Church of Jefferson City. He will be leading the trip to Camden, NJ.

"On our trip to Camden, we'll be encountering some of these broken places that have often been ignored in the paths down which we have followed Christ. And yet it is in these broken places - of the homeless, of the imprisoned, of the hungry - where Jesus said we would be most likely to find Him," said McNeely.

There will be various types of work done on the missions trips. In Eagan, the group will be doing light construction.

In Chattanooga, the students will minister to house parents and children who stay at the Chattanooga Children's Home by playing with the children and doing small jobs.

The students that go to Cumberland, KY will give devotionals at school and lead gymnastic and cheerleading clinics. They will also help with a ministry directed to new single parents.

Students will participate in inner-city ministries, such as working with homeless people, in Camden, NJ and Philadelphia, PA.

"This trip is very different from any other mission trip I have ever been on. The focus is to give van rides to those in need, and invite them to eat free pancakes while they are enjoying their Spring Break in Panama City. It is definitely going to be a challenge... but totally worth it!" said sophomore Marilee Betz, who is going on the trip to Panama City. This will be her second S.P.O.T.S. trip.

The students will participate in Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief in Pearlington, MS.

Seed Company and A Capella will be traveling to various churches and leading others in worship.

In Bethel, Nicaragua, those participating will do light construction, VBS, and clean water education.

Students will be ministering to those who live on the city dump, light construction, and leading VBS in Matamoras, Mexico.

The trip to Jimani, Dominican Republic is a medical mission.

"I am very excited about the trip and I think that it will be an incredible opportunity to show God's love to the rest of the world," said sophomore Josh Ragan. "I am hoping to provide the people there with medical care that otherwise they would never have access to. Too much of the world is unable to provide health care for their people, and hopefully this can make a difference in some people's lives. I also believe that this trip is what many people consider a "life-changing" experience. And while my life has been changed since I knew Christ's love, I still know I live in a place of ultimate luxury, and I know people in the Dominican Republic will never know how it feels to live like this, but I hope to help them in any way possible."

This is Ragan's first S.P.O.T.S. trip.