by Erin Gupton | Dec 13, 2012 | Uncategorized
Lipscomb students who already have been involved in missions know they have benefited and offer encouraging words to those who have committed their time to future mission department adventures. Participating in a mission trip changes you for the positive, said Kathy Short, a junior from Indianapolis. “Going to Germany through Lipscomb Missions opened up my eyes to things that I wouldn’t have experienced through anything else,” she said. “I got out of my comfort zone while I was there, and it helped me grow as a Christian but also just as a person.” Lydia Buckley, a senior from Knoxville, used to work in the missions department and has participated in missions team trips to Cozumel for 3 years. “In doing so, I got to see how the department really tries to plan a trip that best fits specific skill sets,” Buckley said, “and I’ve been able to see all types of people get involved for that reason.” The Lipscomb community is affected by the trips as well because the teams say they come back with deep friendships and a renewed joy for the Lord. “Through the missions department, I’ve been able to make so many meaningful relationships at Lipscomb and in Cozumel, and it’s been a blessing,” Buckley said. “Instead of going to the beach for a week, I got to participate in the Kingdom of God in a very tangible way and grow closer to the teammates.”...
by Erin Gupton | Nov 11, 2012 | Uncategorized
Serving at the Cap Haitien Children’s Home in Cap Haitien, Haiti, brings the Lipscomb men’s and women’s track and cross country teams closer as they minister to children in need. “At the end of the day, we won’t remember every 100-meter sprint or every mile we ran with each other. But I will never forget serving with my teammates and my family,” said Alexander McMeen, a junior from Nashville. The teams strive to make service a focus both in Nashville and around the world. They have held mission trips to Los Angeles and Belize City, Belize. But they have recently shifted their attention to Haiti, making it an annual mission trip. The Cap Haitien home was founded in 1988 and hosts about 60 children of all ages. For the past few years Hunter and Jillian Kittrell – two Lipscomb graduates – have taken position as the field administrators. “Our main goal while in Haiti is to use our athletic abilities as a tool for teaching the kids in Haiti and showing Christ’s love through the talents that God has given us,” said Katie Bunker, a junior from Cedarville, Ohio. Every aspect of this trip calls for teamwork, even the fundraising. The teams hosted a 24-hour relay on Friday, Nov. 2, where track and cross country teammates ran for a full 24 hours, switching runners during allotted times. The runners tracked their miles, and people who wanted to help the team raise money donated a certain amount of money per mile. This year, the team ran a total of 160 miles, raising about $2,500 for their trip. “It’s an event...
by Erin Gupton | Oct 27, 2012 | Uncategorized
Lipscomb holds over 40 mission trips all around the world, but there is only one mission trip created just for women. For the past two years, Lipscomb ladies have embarked on a journey into the Republic of Moldova over the summer. Moldova is known for its high population of orphans and its sex trafficking epidemic. “Moldova is a very poor country in between Ukraine and Romania,” said Kelsey Shipman, a senior from Advance, N.C. “It’s a very small country, but despite the broken streets and poverty, it still manages to be beautiful.” Kelli Blackshear, a junior from Jacksonville, Fla. and two-year veteran of the team, said the goal of this mission trip is “to love on girls that don’t receive enough love or respect where they’re from, and who are in danger of being taken advantage of.” Lipscomb students have the opportunity to sign up for the Moldova mission trip when Commitment Week comes around Nov. 5-9. This is the week in which the registration process for mission trips begins. While in Moldova the small team of about 13 women works alongside Justice and Mercy International, an organization that fights sex trafficking and other social injustices throughout the world. JMI noticed the need for a transitional house for 16-year-old girls who have left the orphanages in Moldova and have nowhere to go. To meet that need, JMI founded The Grace House. By taking these girls in until they are 21, TGH saves many of them from being sex trafficked. The Lipscomb team partners with TGH to teach these girls practical tasks that will help them provide for themselves when...
by Erin Gupton | Oct 18, 2012 | News Slider
Dodge ball tournaments and dinners are just two of the ways Lipscomb students have been sharing the love of God on a remote island in the Caribbean. Saba is a 5-square-mile island in the Dutch Caribbean that is home to only 1,600 people—that’s less that the number enrolled as undergraduate students at Lipscomb. Every spring break, Lipscomb sends a mission team to this small island. The team begins mission work after landing in a 15-passenger plane on a 400-yard runway, the shortest commercial strip in the world. “The main goal of this trip is to foster relationships with the people on the island. The culture is not a religious one, so we are there to be living examples of someone with morals and a relationship with God,” said Virginia Burkhart, a junior from Brentwood, Tenn. Though Saba is small, it is safe. Crime is nearly nonexistent—in fact, there are only 12 police officers. “The Saba natives are very hospitable; they smile every time they see you,” said Alex Rector, a senior from Columbia, Tenn. “Plus, they are great cooks!” Lipscomb students have the opportunity to sign up for the Saba mission trip again when Commitment Week comes around Nov. 5-9. This is the week in which the registration process for mission trips begins. While in Saba, the Lipscomb team visits the only school during the day and holds island-wide events each night. These events range from a dodge ball tournament, to a cookout, to an NBA night. “We just want to show them love, and one of the ways we do that is through activities,” said Shelton Brewer, a senior from...
