Students S.P.O.T.S. Change

Carson-Newman College sent three teams on short-term mission projects during fall break. Over 30 students ministered in Cumberland, Kentucky, Knoxville and Morristown, Tennessee.

KENTUCKY

Fall Break is a time for adventure, camaraderie, and anything but classes. For a group of 17 Carson-Newman students and one adult leader this meant a trip to Cumberland, KY to not only have an adventure they will never forget but to also touch the hearts of the people of Cumberland in a way that will last forever.

SPOTS, a Baptist Collegiate Ministries short-term missions operation, sent Carson-Newman students to three locations over fall break. Cumberland, Kentucky was one of these three. Students headed north to help with various missions already in place in Cumberland. Club 180 was the group's main assignment. This ministry is geared for the youth of Cumberland. "Through Club 180, they have so many different ministry opportunities," said Carson-Newman student, Ryan Carter.

Open at night for kids to just hang out in a Christian environment, Club 180 has pool tables, a stage for various musical acts, and even a café, which serves food such as hot dogs. Upstairs, Excel 180 houses computers donated by the University of Kentucky and has tutors to help students of all ages with homework. Buses drop students off after school.

Another mission also upstairs in the Club 180 house involves a convenient store with a twist. Needy families are awarded points through things such as attendance of events, and they can then "buy" essentials such as baby clothes and diapers with these points. SPOTS had the opportunity to get involved with each of these ministries. Some students cleaned, organized clothes, and even helped put together a fall festival.

Twelve of the students on the trip were international students from places such as South Korea, China, Taiwan, and even Russia. This mission's trip offered these students the rare opportunity to venture beyond the city limits of Jefferson City during the school year. Stella Kim of South Korea said, "I didn't want to stay in Jefferson City. I've never been to Kentucky so I wanted to go there."

The students spent their first day in Kentucky putting together a fall festival for Cumberland's children. They reached out to the children through games, smiles, and laughter. Many of the international students even shared a bit of their culture with the children. "In the fall festival, I wrote children's names in Korean," said Jane Lee of South Korea.

This trip to Kentucky was not Lee's first mission trip through SPOTS. Last year before spring break, Lee traveled with the SPOTS mission team to Mexico to spread the love of Christ there. Lee chose once again to use her break from class to touch others while broadening her own cultural horizons. "I wanted to see Kentucky and enjoy doing mission trips," said Lee of why she went on this particular trip.

Kim mentioned that some of the international students ministered also through song. "We sang Korean blessing songs," she said. As the children learned about Jesus, they learned a little bit about the culture of their brothers and sisters in Christ from around the world.

Sunday, the students attended worship at a local church and spent the rest of the day fellowshipping and ministering to Club 180's coordinators, Terry and Angie Berkeen. "It was great to be able to pour into them because they are always giving of themselves," said Nikki Crase, who also went on the mission's trip.

The students spent their final day in Kentucky both in Club 180 and in the community doing small maintenance repair, painting, cleaning, and organizing.

Through their short stay in Kentucky, Carson-Newman students had the opportunity to share with the people of Kentucky a little bit of what it means to be a Carson-Newman Eagle. From volunteering to culture sharing, these Eagles shared their love for Jesus with those they encountered.

KNOXVILLE

Four students from Carson-Newman and BCM Student Minister, Chad Morris traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee October 25-28 to assist those less fortunate in downtown Knoxville and the surrounding areas.

During the team's four day SPOTS mission trip, they assisted in non-profit organizations, such as Knox Area Rescue Mission, the Angelic Ministries, Western Heights, the Ronald McDonald House, and Central Baptist Church of Bearden's Fall Festival. The four students constructing the team included Senior, Student Leader, Heather Freshwater, Hilary Morris, Tania Vega, and Christy Park. "It was such a blessing and I had a great team," Freshwater said, "We were small, but mighty."

On Saturday, the team arrived at the Knox Area Rescue Mission, where they organized and bagged clothes, swept floors, and helped load clothing onto a truck. "The assistant manager was so excited that we were there," student Hilary Morris explained, "She told us that she had prayed that morning for extra help, and we showed up. We were an answer to prayer."

The Angelic Ministries was a location that made a lasting impact on members of the shelter, as well as, the students. The team ministered and prayed with a group of men, who were seeking recovery help through the Angelic Ministries. During their stay at the shelter, the men go through five steps of recovery, in an attempt to stay clean and out of prison. Once they reach a certain level in their recovery program, they are granted access to work in the shelter's thrift store. This gives the men a sense of a normal routine by giving them a job and the capability to purchase items in exchange for hours working in the store. "It was cool to see people for how they are," Morris, explained, "We looked beyond their past and didn't judge them based on it. We were able to see people as God saw them."