Where Baylor Missions is Serving this May
This May, 135 students and 24 faculty/staff leaders are going on trips with Baylor Missions. Keep reading to see where we're going and how we're serving!
Cure BU in the Philippines
Baylor Missions, in coordination with CURE BU, is sending a team of two faculty members and 14 undergraduate students on a mission trip to the Philippines from May 16-30. The students are pre-health and allied health majors, and this trip is aimed to help them understand how medical professionals use their knowledge, specific strengths, and passions in service of Christ. The students will be able to shadow physicians, surgeons, nurses, and other health workers, volunteer, and minister at a local orphanage/adoption center, interact with fellow students in the premedical/health field, and experience the culture of the Philippines.
Honors Residential College in Costa Rica
The Honors Residential College will be bringing 10 students and 3 staff members to Costa Rica in May. We will be continuing our ongoing partnership with One More Child as we seek to aid in the community-driven work they are doing around the world. During our time in Costa Rica, we will be working with two different churches/organizations--The International Baptist Church of Costa Rica and Transforma. We will be assisting One More Child with whatever tasks are needed, likely planning and implementing VBS for elementary aged-students, packaging food and delivering food, and participating in home visits to enjoy company and share the gospel to families participating in the organization's programs.
MSO, AED, & AMWA in the Dominican Republic
Students from Medical Service Organization (MSO), Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) and American Medical Women’s Association Baylor (AMWA) will be traveling to the Dominican Republic to learn about healthcare as they shadow physicians in a hospital and clinics while also working with local schools on health education lessons about daily nutrition education, the importance and fun of exercise, and hygiene lessons on handwashing for disease prevention and dental care.
Music in Malaysia & Indonesia
In May 2024, the Baylor School of Music will embark on a mission trip to Malaysia and Indonesia with 31 students, faculty, and staff, aiming to enhance cultural exchange and understanding through music. The team plans to visit various cities and engage with local worship leaders. This journey combines performances, student led workshops, and collaborative learning. These activities will highlight Baylor's musical diversity and deepen participants' appreciation of Southeast Asia's cultural and spiritual richness. Dr. Randall Bradley, the faculty leader of the trip, views this as an important opportunity for students to learn about the lives of people in other cultures and broaden their understanding of global worship practices.
First Abroad Fellows in the Dominican Republic
A group of 15 First Abroad Fellows and two leaders are heading off on an exciting trip to the Dominican Republic. Their mission? To build homes with Casas Por Cristo, a nonprofit that tackles housing issues in under-served communities abroad. This journey isn't just about building houses; it's about giving First Generation College students a chance to make a real impact overseas. For these students, who are often juggling college and other responsibilities for the first time, studying abroad can seem like a distant dream. Many of them wanted to go abroad but faced challenges like family obligations, work commitments, or financial constraints, especially with the disruptions caused by Covid-19. So, the Missions and Study Abroad teams got creative. They teamed up to create a special hybrid experience just for these students. With the help of a $3000 scholarship from the First Abroad Fellows program, the trip becomes fully funded. The students also take a class on Intercultural Competence Abroad during the spring semester to prepare. This unique approach not only breaks down barriers but also strengthens bonds among the participants. It also allows Baylor Study Abroad to apply the First Abroad Fellows scholarship and consider their trip an embedded study abroad experience.
Animal Rescue in Guatemala
A team of 6 Baylor students, 3 leaders and 1 guest are traveling to Sumpango, Guatemala for a different kind of mission trip this May. These students are working with Animal Aware Animal Shelter. There, the members of this team will work hands on with over 400 rescue animals, assist in medical care, and work on projects for the shelter.
BRH Choir in the Philippines
This team of 9 Baylor students and 2 Baylor staff leaders are joining with local church and ministry leaders to share the Gospel throughout the Philippines through their love of music. The choir is excited to partner with one of our own BRH Alumni to work with local churches and ministries. The group will spend time distributing school supplies and evangelizing through music with schools in Santiago and San Bartolome; as well as working with local pastors there to lead in congregational worship. They also will spend time at Santiago Baptist Church where they will help to refurbish and maintain the church’s parsonage. Additionally, they will spend a day at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) doing campus outreach with other colleges students. The choir aims to use their love of music to share the Gospel with people through song.
Pre-PA Society in Uganda
Students from Pre-PA Society will be traveling to impoverished areas in Uganda to learn about third world healthcare as they shadow physicians in clinics while also working with orphan children on health lessons and Bible stories.
Honors College in Greece
In Greece, to which the gospel of Jesus Christ first came to Europe through St. Paul’s witness and ministry, the legacy of the first-century church lives on in the faith, worship, and lives of twenty-first century Christians. During the last two weeks of May, ten Honors College students are traveling to Athens for two weeks of ministry, service, and learning. Key ministry partners include First Greek Evangelical Church, Greek Bible College, and Hellenic Ministries, and activities include ministry to refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Iran, as well as indigent Greeks. Led by Dean Douglas Henry and Drs. Joe and Meghan DiLuzio, students aim to serve with joy while deepening their own sense of Christian calling, responsiveness to the Lord, usefulness in Christ’s church, and awareness of the challenges for people in Greece, Europe, and the wider world.
Earle Hall in Costa Rica
Students from Hallie Earle Hall will be traveling to Costa Rica in May of 2024 to work with BU Missions' partner, One More Child. Team members will have the opportunity to work closely with a variety of people who have encountered difficulties, such as sex-trafficking, fleeing their homes, and living in material poverty. The team will be serving in the community by packaging food supplies, creating health and hygiene lessons, interacting with children, and distributing necessary supplies to local families. We hope that students will develop an understanding of the cultural and economic differences present in the communities they'll be working in and gain an appreciation for service and build it into their everyday lives.