Students brave the weather to sign up for spring break mission trips
Courtesy Photos/ Abby Oates One of last year’s Campus Ministry mission trips was to a children’s camp in Puerto Rico, where students spent most of their time working on maintenance around the camp. They were also able to have some fun, as they got to play with some local children, visit a beach and go cliff jumping. This year’s trips were just announced and sign-ups began Thursday.
Nov 7, 2011
While some people are beginning to plan a spring break trip, Grand Valley State University’s Campus Ministry knows exactly where they are sending students.
Some students showed up more than an hour early for registration, which began at 4 a.m. Thursday, and some even camped out overnight to ensure they could choose the spring break mission trips they wanted out of the 17 available.
Campus Ministry plans the trips each year, which are open to all GVSU students. They include both domestic and international trips.
Trip sign-ups have become a competitive event due to the limit each trip has, ranging from 10 people in El Salvador to 20 people in Denver.
GVSU students Kara Romstadt and Lauren Nadeau were among many other students who got up early to sign up for their target trips, both arriving around 5:10 a.m.
“The fact that I woke up after only two hours of sleep was totally worth it,” Romstadt said.
GVSU student Ryan Warner dodged the early morning hours but was still able to sign up for the trip that he wanted.
While Romstadt and Warner have both participated in Campus Ministry spring break trips in the past, Nadeau is new to this experience.
“I decided my senior year of high school that I wanted to do a mission trip because my best friend did one last year,” Nadeau said. “She had a blast, so I thought it would be something I would really enjoy.”
She added that her interest in travel also pushed her toward signing up for a spring break trip. Although Nadeau originally wanted to go to Brooklyn, she chose New Orleans after her initial choice was full.
“I enjoy spending my spring break on a trip that aims to serve others,” Romstadt said.
Romstadt traveled with Campus Ministry to New Orleans last year. This year, she will go to New Mexico.
“I am excited to connect with the kids, hear their stories and love on them,” Romstadt said.
Warner will attend the Denver trip for the third year, which allows him to serve others and ski in the mountains. In addition to the mission work, the students are also able to get to know each other and gain new friendships they can bring back to GVSU.
“I signed up on a trip and did not know anyone, but it was a blast,” Romstadt said. “We all really bonded that week.”
One of the ministers, Chris Pieters, said that getting outside of the “college campus bubble,” seeing the significant needs of people, and putting students’ faith into action are all influential benefits students get from the trips.
Prices range from $165 for the Grand Rapids trip then from $330 to $685 for domestic trips, depending on whether the groups drive or fly. International trip prices range from $925 to $1,450.
To learn more about the Campus Ministry spring break trips, visit www.cmspringbreak.wordpress.com.
