From far North to Deep South, DBU volunteers serve

Posted: 10/27/06

From far North to Deep South, DBU volunteers serve

By Tim Gingrich

Dallas Baptist University

DALLAS—From the frozen north to the Deep South, Dallas Baptist University students devoted their fall break to missions.

Jason Hatch, director of the Baptist Student Ministry at DBU, led a team of twelve young men to grow spiritually and serve in hands-on missions in Alaska.

Two DBU students cross a ridge during their journey in Alaska.

“We take a lot of international mission trips, but at home we sometimes switch out of mission mode. One purpose of this trip was to realize you can do missions in the states, too,” Hatch explained.

Much of the 14-mile Alaskan backpacking trip focused on spiritual development, as Hatch led the students in prayer and discussion about the pressures faced by Christian men. Along the way, the student group encountered a family of five living in a makeshift shack after flashfloods destroyed their home.

“They had experienced several weeks of severe rain, and it completely ruined their house and scattered all their possessions,” said DBU sophomore Ryan Towson. Student volunteers immediately went to work collecting debris and cleaning the property.

But what the family needed most was simply a sign of God’s love, he noted.

“Hearing the father, who was himself a new believer, tell that he had prayed for assistance and was convinced that God had not given up on them—that was the most significant part for me,” Towson said.

DBU Student Jordan Summerville maneuvers a bed frame through a construction zone in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

The DBU team also volunteered at a foster home for young boys, held evangelistic meetings with two churches, and invited students at the University of Alaska to attend a concert featuring the contemporary Christian band Sonic Flood.

Far to the south, in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, a 22-member DBU student team joined ongoing reconstruction efforts in the Gulf Coast town.

“The devastation was apparent as soon as we crossed into Bay St. Louis,” reported DBU senior Daniel Nix. “There are still a lot of leaky roofs to patch, doors to be replaced and yard work to be done.”

Partnering with First Baptist Church of Bay St. Louis, the DBU group helped construct a center for aid workers, cleared debris from several yards and carried out numerous home-repair projects.

“I think some people were skeptical about college students’ work ethic,” Nix acknowledged. “But we were able to serve their needs and exceed their expectations.”

In addition to leaving behind repaired roofs, trimmed yards, and finished out homes, DBU students took away life lessons.

"The fall break trip to Bay St. Louis was an excellent time to bond with fellow DBU students through service," said Lauren Robertson. "As a group, we cut through brush, put together bunk beds, ripped out tile flooring and much more. Through these experiences, we gained an experience of a lifetime and an excellent opportunity to serve God."

DBU students furnish a new volunteer center with much needed supplies.

Whether at the foot of Alaska’s majestic mountains or beside the Gulf shore in Mississippi, all the DBU student volunteers came home talking about one unforgettable sight.

“The best part of serving is seeing the faces of those for whom you are working,” Nix said.

Correction: In the original version of this story, Bay St. Louis was incorrectly identified as Bay St. Paul.