This year's plans...

I'm reminded that the Bible encourages planning while DIScouraging any deep attachment to plans that we make. Who knows what our days hold, much less our months and years?

That said, here are the plans for things this year (so far):

International Trips:

Spring Break -
10th annual youth outreach trip to Lurgan in Northern Ireland.
3rd annual service-learning trip to El Salvador with Siglo XXIII.
1st fair-trade industry service learning trip to Peru with Bridge Builders.

Summer -
4th annual trip to Nicaragua with Food for the Hungry
3rd annual trip to the Dominican Republic with Students International
1st trip to visit Rodeo, Bolivia (our Food for the Hungry community partner)

Fall -
October Break Trips (Oct. 22-25):
Urban Impact - New York
Urban Promise - Camden
Christian Endeavor - WV
Youth Development - Virginia
Joshua Farm - Harrisburg

Large Events:
Mission Awareness Week (Nov. 2-6)
Over 30 representatives from Christian relief and development and church planting organizations will be on campus including Richard Stearns, President of World Vision.

Human Rights Awareness Week (Nov. 30 - Dec. 4)
HRA works to expand campus awareness and advocacy around issues related to human trafficking, health and survival and various injustices around the globe and at home.
World AIDS Day is December 1.

We appreciate your prayers for all of our plans!

Open Arms, Open Lives

The DR was an amazing experience-- better than I ever expected. Down there, I really feel like I saw a picture of what it is like to LOVE, to live like a Christian through actions and not simply words. Because I knew hardly any Spanish, I was forced to reach out to the children without using a single word. I'm still amazed by how God moved through me AND even more so, through the children. Never did I feel so loved, so unique and special. The children I worked with opened their lives to all of us and invited us to share in their community. In the DR, I worked at a site teaching volleyball to little girls. Some of the Spanish words I used numerous times a day were "Corre" (Run!) and "Ven" (Come!). On Sunday, we went to a church service in a nearby village. Naturally, the service was entirely in Spanish so I did not understand it. But the Pastor, quoting Jesus, did say two words: Corre and Ven. The pastor was explaining that Jesus calls us to RUN to Him, that He is waiting with arms open wide to envelope us in His love. The trip really changed my life. I thoroughly enjoyed the Dominican culture, people and atmosphere. Because of this trip, I THINK God is calling me to mission work--- in the DR, we had this AMAZING foot washing service. Each song played in the background as we watched our partner's feet spoke of surrendering COMPLETELY and letting go to Christ so He can work through you.
- Betsy

Sensing God's Presence in Nicaragua

This is the report of one of our team leaders, who traveled to Nicaragua with Food for the Hungry:

My trip to Nicaragua was very beneficial. This was my first time out of the U.S. so I was able to get a feel for how one small part of the rest of the world is living in comparison to myself. I really felt that I am not thankful enough for the many many blessings that I have.

It was very evident that God is at work in Nicaragua.

I found that what the people lacked in physical possessions were often compensated for in their spiritual "possessions." The importance of relationships and genuine care for your neighbors stuck out to me. We visited a pottery company and the owner told us how the economy is hurting and his company is slow, but he still has some work while many of his neighbors are without. He said that he had a machine to work the clay and that machine could do the work in a matter of hours, but instead of using it, he chose to hire help, even though it took much longer. This way he was giving some community members work. This just really struck me as something that we in the U.S. do not do or usually see happening.

There is still a lot of work that can and needs to be done in Nicaragua. I believe that FH is doing a very good job working with communities to improve their lives. I feel that working in a place like this is a very tangible way of seeing God's immense love for his people. -Andrew