Teams serve around the globe
Students work overseas
During Christmas break, many students not only took a break from school but also from the comfort of their everyday lives to travel all over the globe.
John, the director of global teams and a team leader whose last name is withheld for security purposes, said the Center for Global Engagement (CGE) sent out four teams over Christmas break on trips to Togo, the Middle East, South Asia and East Asia, with the purpose of sharing the love of Jesus.
SERVE — Global team works with children in Southeast Asia. Photo provided
According to CGE’s website, all teams left Dec. 12, and trips varied from 12 to 14 days.
John stressed the importance of global teams and the impact that they make.
“During my seven years of working with CGE, I have seen God use the global teams over and over again, both in the lives of the students and team leaders, as well as in the lives of people in the various places where the teams serve,” John said.
John stressed the significance of these trips for the students involved.
“In my own experience with teams, I have observed God work in the lives of almost every student that has participated on a team to form Christ in them, to teach and grow them regarding his heart and plan for the world, to teach them that he is at work in even some of the most unreached corners of the world and to move them to lifeong-term ministry and help further that work.”
“So the Lord, in his grace, is using global teams for the sanctification and discipleship of the global team participants, as well as for the expansion of his kingdom,” John said.
John shared a story from a team that served in South Asia over break that encouraged him.
“On one particular occasion, about half the team went to visit and worship together with a particular church plant in a village,” John said. “The church met in this particular night on the rooftop of an apartment building. One of the men on the team preached a message to the church to seek to encourage them in the faith, but the best part about the experience was the little glimpse of heaven that it displayed.”
John shared his excitement at being able to praise the Lord with ethnic groups across the globe.
“In eternity, we will worship the king together with people from every language and ethnic group,” John said. “As we worshiped the same king together on that rooftop that evening in multiple languages and multiple ethnic groups, it displayed a small glimpse into our coming experience in eternity.”
According to John, CGE is planning on sending out 11 global teams over spring break and another 11 in the summer. Teams will go to places such as Spain, France, the Arab world, Southeast Asia, Bolivia, Romania, Ethiopia, Cameroon and many other places.
All of the trip descriptions are listed at liberty.edu/globalteams. Students can use this website to apply for any team that still has openings.
Foley is a news reporter.