DBU’s care for one Chilean student grows into broad-based mission trip

DALLAS—Miguel Faúndez, a Dallas Baptist University student, awoke last February to a phone call saying his home country of Chile had just been devastated by one of the worst earthquakes in the nation’s history.

DBU students gather for prayer with local Chileans before they begin helping with reconstruction efforts.

The epicenter, about 100 miles from Faúndez’s hometown, registered a magnitude of 8.8. Instantly, streets crumbled, buildings caved and power lines fell, fueling fires and causing more post-quake damage. Electricity—and telephone reception—quickly was lost, leaving Faúndez unable to make any contact with his family and friends in Chile.

Shortly thereafter, he received an-other unexpected phone call.

“I have to say I was surprised that the president of DBU called me to ask about my family after the earthquake,” Faúndez said. “It’s good to be part of a university family that takes care of you.”

DBU President Gary Cook asked what the university could do to help. DBU administration worked to secure Faúndez a flight to Chile as soon as possible. After holding a special time of prayer for him and his countrymen during chapel services, Faúndez flew home.

Dallas Baptist University student Sarah Sims takes a break from painting houses to pose for a picture with two new Chilean friends.

Following more than a week of no communication with his family, Faúndez had no idea what would await him once he arrived. All he could do was show up at his parents’ home—praying for the best.

Unlike so many others whose lives were altered by the Chilean earthquake and tsunami that hit only a few hours later, his story had a happy ending. His family was safe, and he returned to DBU a few weeks later with the good news. However, the need for help was far from over.

“After Miguel returned and told us about some of the work that was needed, we decided we wanted to send some of our students to serve in Chile,” Cook said.

Faúndez recalled the joy that overwhelmed him when he learned DBU students planned to travel to Chile to help victims of the natural disaster.

Dan Gibson, DBU assistant director of spiritual life, has some help painting a newly rebuilt house in Chile.

“It was like a dream to have students from DBU wanting to help my home country of Chile. Preparing servant leaders is not a nice quote on a brochure—it is something you live every day in DBU campus life,” he said.

The DBU Spiritual Life Office began planning a mission trip with help from Faúndez.

While Chile obviously needed help with reconstruction projects, Faúndez said, they also needed ambassadors of Christ to minister to the people.

This fall, a 14-member team of DBU students and staff traveled to Concepción, one of the nation’s largest cities and not far from Faúndez’s hometown of Florida. They worked in collaboration the Youth Hope global missions organization, a ministry partner of Especíalídades Juveníles.

The volunteers served in schools, helped paint and rebuild houses and stayed in host homes of Chileans.

“We were able to work alongside men and women who had lost their homes in the disaster. It was heartbreaking to talk with the students in the schools we worked with and hear their stories about the night of the earthquake,” said Jennifer Spain, a DBU senior.

A team of 14 students and staff members from Dallas Baptist University help paint newly built houses in Concepcion, Chile, an area that was hit hard by the February earthquake.

“I hope all of the friends we made in Chile were blessed by our team’s willingness to serve them and just listen to their stories, because they certainly blessed us.”

The team spent several days in local schools, giving students English and Bible lessons. Chris Holloway, a DBU resident director and leader on the trip, recalled: “As we talked about the will of God in one of our classes, one of the students asked us, ‘How do I find God?’ Right there, one of our team members had the opportunity to share the gospel with the entire class of 20 students.”

Questions of God and his will weighed on the hearts of people who have lost as much as many of the Chileans did, Faúndez said.

“I think God has used this tragedy as an opportunity to share the good news of Christ with the Chilean people,” he said.

“God worked through the hands and feet of the DBU students to respond to real needs of the Chilean people. Christianity is not only words, but actions as well.”