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Hepburn, Sask.
Bible school students trade in books for mission experience


Over 100 students from Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Sask. traded in their books for some short-term mission experience on February 7. Fifteen seniors travelled to Kenya, 40 juniors made a 23-hour bus trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, and 50 freshmen journeyed to Calgary.

Bethany’s missions director Trever Godard explained, “Our goal at Bethany is to nurture disciples [of Jesus Christ] and train leaders for ministry. We believe a practical missions trip is crucial for this development.”

Student Trevor Friesen said, “It was a great time of stretching and growth, as well as an amazing ministry experience and training.”


Salt Lake City

In Salt Lake, students worked in a homeless shelter, offering hope in the midst of hunger, hopelessness and human depravity. Many students returned changed, having had their priorities and spiritual lives challenged, noted Godard.

Students put on youth activities at South Mountain Community Church, the Mennonite Brethren church in Draper, Utah. In fact, one of the students was invited back to the Draper church for an internship this summer.

“Although it wasn’t a cross-cultural experience, God worked in our lives and in some of the youth,” stated Godard. “Some students felt it wasn’t really ‘missions’, or that we didn’t do enough.”

Students also spent an afternoon at Brigham Young University, looking for opportunities to talk with Mormon students.


Calgary

Youth Mission International, the short-term youth mission and discipleship ministry of MBMS International, organized the mission trip to Calgary. For the first part of the week, the students spent two days at Shekinah Retreat Centre for a time of worship and prayer. After the retreat, students were divided into six teams. The teams met each morning for prayer and then set out to do various ministries. Some students had a hand in experiencing what church planting is like by delivering flyers and surveying people about their thoughts on church and the needs of their community. Others served at a variety of places, including the Mustard Seed, a homeless shelter; Skate Church at Dalhousie MB Church; a Sudanese children’s festival at Highland MB Church; and Youth for Christ.

“It was a life-changing time of service and definitely a life-shaping experience,” said freshman Nathan Toews.

A highlight of the week was the Urban Plunge night that had students in downtown Calgary seeking opportunities to show God’s love to the homeless and others in need.

“Our prayer is that what we learned out there will translate into changed lives back here,” Godard stated.

 – adapted from releases

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Last modified July 10, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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