Tag: Spring break

Host Partner Spotlight: Praying Pelican Missions

Each spring, Belmont students travel with Belmont on Mission all over the world to serve the Kingdom of God. While some teams stay in the United States to serve more locally, many teams travel abroad. In doing this, it is really important that groups partner with organizations that are well established in that area because those organizations know the context that students will be stepping into. In doing this, Belmont students are able to effectively serve and have a lasting impact.

This march, a group of students will be traveling to the Dominican Republic to serve with Praying Pelican Missions. Praying Pelican Missions connects the local church on a global level through short-term mission trips. Praying Pelican Missions acts as a catalyst for groups who wish to serve. They organize groups to work directly alongside local ministries where they can work to meet the real needs of the community. Praying Pelican Missions has the goals of genuine, long-term impact in healthy short-term mission trips. This is achieved through genuine partnerships, long-term relationships, and sustainable ministry.

In just over a month students will be in the Dominican Republic beginning their ministry. Students will do a variety of service projects with many different organizations in the community. If you have any questions about Praying Pelican Missions, or any upcoming International trips, please reach out!

Student Take: Elania Trimble

Today on the blog, we asked Elania to write about her experience in serving with Casas por Cristo, and how her time serving in the past has influenced her decision to serve with Belmont on Mission!  Here is Elania’s take on serving God by building the Kingdom!

“I have had the fortunate opportunity to not only work with Casas Por Cristo once but twice. I traveled to Acuña, Mexico in July 2016 and again in March 2017. My first time going, I was very nervous because I had no idea what to expect, and I had never gone out of the country for a mission trip before.

The first thing I noticed about Acuña was how small and brightly colored everything is. We met with Scott Dewitt, who was our trip leader and the Acuña field director. He told us a little bit about what to expect in the coming week. I honestly had no idea how a high school youth group was going to successfully build a house in only four days, but we were reassured that it could be done, and we were going to do it.

Our job site was in the middle of town and there was barely any room to move around, much less freely build a house. We had to build a lot of the parts in the middle of the street. It was the hardest work I’ve ever done in my life. Scott and his intern Alyssa took us step by step and by the end of day four we had a completely brand-new house. The most rewarding part of the trip was all the wonderful people I got to meet. The family we were building the house for had been living in one tiny house together. There were at least 10 people living there, and they were the nicest people I’ve ever met. I got to meet so many children from around town because they would all come visit us on the job site. They were so sweet and loved to help us out. We ended the trip with a little ceremony, during which we presented the house to the family.

Working with Casas Por Cristo was the most humbling and rewarding experience I’ve ever had. It made me realize how much we all take for granted in our comfortable and safe lives. The people who live there work so hard and get the bare minimum in return. They are so grateful for every little blessing in their lives and are the most kind-hearted people. The language barrier was not even an issue and didn’t stop me or anyone from connecting with the wonderful people of Acuña. When I saw that Belmont had a mission with Casas Por Cristo is was the easiest and fastest decision I’ve ever made. I am so excited to be going back to Acuña and can’t wait to make more lasting memories with Belmont on Mission over spring break!”

If you have any questions about Elania’s experience, Belmont on Mission, or upcoming Immersion, International, or Plunge trips, please reach out!

Host Partner Spotlight: Casas por Cristo

Over spring break, many Belmont students spend a week serving with Belmont on Mission. Groups of Belmont students travel to numerous locations both in the United States and abroad. International trips are a chance to be immersed in a local culture outside the U.S., grow in understanding of the cares and concerns of those communities, and promote fellowship and mutuality in your interactions with others. In other words, while there are opportunities to serve and complete projects, the emphasis is on learning and relationship.

This spring, a group of students will travel to Acuña, MX to partner with Casas por Cristo in the mission of building a house for a family who needs to be reminded of God’s love for them. For over 25 years, Casas por Cristo has been fulfilling their mission of building and serving the kingdom of God; there are now over 5,000 CPC homes in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and soon Nicaragua.

During their time in Acuña, students will be building the Kingdom of God in more ways than one. Casas por Cristo seeks to build homes, relationships, and opportunities for growth. In striving to build the Kingdom, CPC cultivates opportunities for growth in structured experiences. Through these structured experiences, CPC builds relationships between people who, otherwise, would never have met.

The service that Casas por Cristo provides to so many communities is amazing. Through the building process, there are unique opportunities presented to us by God to serve each other. CPC’s guiding statement is as follows: “We are dedicated to meeting the physical need of better housing as a ways of also meeting the spiritual need for Jesus Christ.”

Belmont on Mission is so excited to be partnering with such a wonderful organization. If you have any questions about upcoming mission trips or Belmont on Mission in general, please reach out!

Student Take: Calla Quinn

Today, Calla is sharing about her experiences so far serving in Tennessee, and her anticipation in serving with Border Servant Corps in El Paso, TX over spring break. We are excited for you to hear Calla’s take on preparing to go on Mission with Belmont on Mission!

“I grew up in church and have had experience serving primarily in the Nashville area. Never having been on mission out-of-state, I am equally excited and curious to go on Immersion to El Paso!

I chose this trip for several reasons, but what first caught my attention was the circumstances of the people we’ll be serving. As a pre-law student interested in immigration policy, I was drawn to this trip in particular because I know it will provide me with insight and fuel my passion for serving the underserved. The opportunity to encounter such a divisive subject in a fiercely direct and personal way will offer me a broader perspective and help me better understand the cultural and political dynamics surrounding this issue.

That being said, there are plenty of things about this trip that scare me (in a good way). I know I am going to experience things that push me out of my comfort zone and leave me with more questions than answers. Many of the folks with whom I’ll interact are living as marginalized people in every capacity; racially, culturally, and economically they are frequently categorized as “unwanted.” I hope to unlearn my ignorance through this trip by navigating uncharted waters. Most of all, I hope to grow in my relationship with God by learning and developing the ways in which I’m called to show others His love.”

If you have any questions about Calla’s experience, Belmont on Mission, or any upcoming trips, please reach out!

Host Partner Spotlight: Border Servant Corps

Each spring, many Belmont students choose to spend their spring breaks on a mission trip with Belmont on Mission. Some students participate in Immersion trips, which are a chance to be immersed in a local culture and to grow in understanding of the cares and concerns of communities here in the United States. Students have the opportunity to see what God is doing through domestic churches and ministries, and join them in awareness and mission.

In just under two months, students will work with Border Servant Corps in promoting and demonstrating justice, kindness, and humility. This will be achieved through the exploration of community, simplicity, social justice, and spirituality in the U.S./ Mexico border region. In every interaction, Border Servant Corps functions out of the call in Micah 6:8 to “Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly.”

Students will travel to El Paso, TX to experience accompaniment-style immersion, during which they engage relationship and first-hand educational experiences about border issues, and community engagement, ensuring that members of the community are also engaged and immersed in the education and service of the borderlands.

Border Servant Corps seeks to love those who are in the midst of trying times, and educate those who have the ability to serve them. If you have any questions about Border Servant Corps or upcoming Immersion trips, please reach out!

Student Take: Tayviana Scott

We asked Tayviana to write a bit about her experiences so far as she has served with Belmont on Mission, and as she prepares to serve this March in Atlanta with DOOR Network.  We are excited for you to read Tay’s take on serving God through serving in the Kingdom.

“Growing up I went to church every Sunday, but as I got older and life began to change I didn’t go as much. When I started school at Belmont all the freshman got an opportunity to participate in PLUNGE, a four-day fall break immersion experience for first-year students. I had never heard of mission work before then, so I was very excited about doing God’s work. After such an amazing experience partnering with the Medici Project, I wanted to do more.

In the Fall of 2017 I led my first mission trip ever to Indianapolis. I was very nervous, but my two other team leaders and awesome staff leaders helped a lot. We partnered with Shepherd’s Community and served around their community.

In the Spring of 2018, I joined some other students on a mission trip to Acuña, Mexico partnering with Casas Por Cristo. My favorite moment from this trip was the reaction from the oldest daughter of the family we were helping when she saw the tattoo I have on my wrist. Her eyes got really big and she smiled from ear to ear. She snatched my wrist and ran towards her family, dragging me behind her to show them. The next day we came back to finish working on their house, she had came home from school to show me her wrist where she had tried to replicate my tattoo on herself with a marker. My heart swelled and right then, I knew that interacting with people while serving God is what I should be doing.

In the fall of 2018, I lead another mission trip to Memphis, TN partnering with Serve 901. Seeing how many opportunities there were for people to come and serve filled my heart with joy. I know that anytime I feel like serving there is always a place to go.

I am really excited about partnering with DOOR Network. From doing a bit of research I feel like the students and I are going to have a great time serving in Atlanta. I love to keep an open mind about places and organizations I know little information about so the experience feels real.”

If you have any questions about Tay’s experience, Belmont on Mission, or upcoming Immersion, International, or Plunge trips, please reach out!

Host Partner Spotlight: DOOR Network

Every spring break, Belmont students have the opportunity to serve on a mission trip with Belmont on Mission. One type of trip that Belmont on Mission has to offer is an Immersion trip. Immersion trips are a chance to be immersed in a local culture and to grow in understanding of the cares and concerns of communities here in the United States. Students will have the opportunity to see what God is doing through local churches and ministries, and join them in awareness and mission.

 

 

This March, students will join with Door Ministries in Denver and Atlanta as they discover new and exciting opportunities for outreach and reflection in two growing cities. The DOOR Network is a faith-based nonprofit that works throughout the nation to cultivate flourishing communities. They are “dedicated to providing life-changing experiences for our participants rooted in relationship and solidarity with local communities and neighborhoods.”

As a unique opportunity to learn and serve, Door’s Atlanta and Denver programming helps groups to spend time serving with a variety of local agencies and ministries and learning through evening speakers and activities. The experience is about more than preparing a meal at a soup kitchen or playing with children at a day camp. It is an opportunity to work alongside local community members, to learn from local leaders, and to listen to the stories of neighbors, clients, and churches.

The Atlanta experience is centered around the question “who is our neighbor?” Door uses teaching from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as other writers and theologians, to look at this question in biblical context. Students will learn about the role of Atlanta in the Civil Rights movement, and even get the chance to visit the King Center to see how, today, Atlanta remains one of the greatest centers of social justice, activism, and human rights.

The Denver experience will give students the opportunity to gain a better understanding and broader perspective on the roots of problems plaguing the Denver area like poverty, police brutality, and low performing schools. Students with work with various agencies that Door has connected with in order to best serve the community, and “make a change to bring heaven to earth, through love and justice.”

 

Door’s mission to open the door for individuals and groups to “encounter the city through the eyes, ears, and heart of God” is perfect for any student wishing to learn more about his or her place in God’s Kingdom. If you have any questions about the DOOR Network, or upcoming Immersion trips, please reach out!