By Kerry Steinhofer, Copy Editor
Asbury students will be all over the globe this summer, striving to make a positive impact for Christ through missions trips, internships and job opportunities.
Several media communication and journalism students will be heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August for the 2018 Summer Olympics. Media communication students will be working in different venues assisting with cameras and audio. The journalism team will be creating news packages and articles of Kentucky-related stories for LEX18, an NBC affiliate station in Lexington. These stories will include athletes who will be participating in the Olympics from Kentucky. The team will also be contributing articles to the Asbury website and Kentucky Monthly Magazine.
“One of the reasons I chose Asbury was because of its Olympic partnership, and it’s incredible to think I am actually going to Rio this August,” said senior Bryan Garrett. “I’m excited to be a part of such a huge world event. My whole life I have loved the Olympics, and the privilege of participating in the broadcast of the Games is a total honor for me.”
Junior Ema Haines once had the dream of going to the Olympics as an athlete, but now she is participating on a whole new level.
“When I got hurt in high school, I wasn’t able to potentially go as an athlete, but now I’m getting to go for broadcasting, and I’ve never been more excited,” said Haines. “I’m going to get to see some of my old coaches and athletes that I have trained with, so it’s going to be a phenomenal experience in every way.”
Students in the Rio crew aren’t the only ones who will be using their skills overseas. For the second summer in a row, the Asbury Worship Collective is sending a team to Malawi, Africa. The worship team will spend a month traveling with Circle of Hope to evangelize in various villages around the Dowa district. Three of the students who went on the trip last year are returning to Malawi, but will be staying for the entire summer.
“I think the thing I’m most excited for is being able to be a part of the culture, and separating myself from this culture that I’ve been a part of for so long,” said senior Matt Ingram. “It’s a really cool experience to be able to see the world through different eyes.”
World Gospel Mission (WGM) is taking a team to Albania this summer and will be working with Nathan and Cydil Waggoner in the village of Vlashaj. Their ministry in Albania will include worship training for church leaders, fellowship events and home visits with local families, and children’s ministry through kids clubs.
“There is currently no Christian presence in the village, so our hope is to create a safe place where people can encounter Christ,” said WGM Advisor and leader of the trip, Jonathan Powers. The team will be in Albania for two weeks starting May 9.
“I’m most excited to see what Jesus is doing there, and how we can work with the people already sharing the gospel and worshipping Jesus in Albania to further the kingdom,” said junior Kylee Grimwood. “We aren’t the first people to be His hands and feet in Albania, and I know we won’t be the last. To me, that’s the best part.”
Students will also be serving in the U.S. through Asbury’s summer ministry teams. These teams volunteer at numerous churches, camps and other nonprofits. Students act as worship leaders, VBS leaders, camp leaders and mentors.
“I’m beyond excited and humbled to have the opportunity to see the beauty of God communicated in every place we serve,” said sophomore Laney Race, who will be traveling to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida. “I’m looking forward to the change that will occur through complete obedience to Him. I have no idea what this change will look like, but that mystery of coming back with a heart so much closer to Christ encourages me in what this summer has in store.”
Photo credit: aViaTioNuT via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND