Missions of service
Waynesburg University students take part in domestic, international projects
Waynesburg University无毛视频檚 mission statement is to educate students to make connections between faith, learning and servicing.
A group of students took that motto to heart by spending their spring break immersing themselves in domestic and international service projects.
More than 60 students served at sites including Pittsburgh, Gettysburg and Concord, N.C., as well as Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic, and Nassau, Bahamas.The trips were led by faculty and staff.
Sadie Mink, 22, senior interdisciplinary studies major from Mercer County, was one of 14 students working with Project GROW in an impoverished region of the Dominican Republic called Loma Larga.
Students offered two branches of service: a Christian ministry in partnership with a local school, and leading classes related to entrepreneurship with a local women无毛视频檚 group.
It was her first mission trip, and Mink said she would love to return to the Dominican Republic.
无毛视频淭he experience was really, really great,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚 was so impressed with the group of students and staff members that we had. Everybody worked so well together. We had great attitudes, great work ethic, and everybody was very willing to make new relationships and to work on things they were unfamiliar with. There were obstacles everybody had to work around. Everybody worked so seamlessly together and built some strong relationships on the trip. It was very rewarding.无毛视频�
Conditions were rugged, as the village in which they stayed lacked running water and bathrooms, and none of the natives spoke English.
Such a trip had been scheduled years before, but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cassie Dorsch, director of the eHive and Nest at Waynesburg, was one of the leaders on that trip. She went on mission trips to the Dominican Republic in 2013 and 2014 while a student at Waynesburg.
无毛视频淲e did some training remotely during COVID,无毛视频� Dorsch explained. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e partnered with the women无毛视频檚 group there, so our next step was to see them in person and continue that work that we set up remotely. Because of the impact it made on me, I think this program is really important to our students. It was fantastic.无毛视频�
In past years as part of Project GROW, the Dominican women were taught how to make jewelry, which was sent to the United States and sold by students, with the profits going to the women.
无毛视频淭his time around, we really wanted them to initiate the ideas of business ventures to pursue so they could create revenue for their community,无毛视频� Mink said. Each day included a cattle car ride of about 75 minutes to the community of Loma Larga.
The women showed a lot of progress in just four days.
无毛视频淭hey had a business background, but it was the first time we had seen them in person,无毛视频� Dorsch said. 无毛视频淲e were able to see the impacts the training had had. They were able to share their ideas, which was really exciting. We were able to teach them the mindset in just developing a business idea and to help them understand solving a problem.无毛视频�
A focus of Mink无毛视频檚 education is entrepreneurial leadership, prompting her to make the trip.
无毛视频淏ecause I无毛视频檝e been studying entrepreneurship for the past three years, I felt like I had a lot of knowledge that I was eager to share and teach,无毛视频� Mink said. 无毛视频淚 was excited to take the opportunity to use the skills I have been taught over the last four years.无毛视频�
Luke Hostetler, 22, a senior nursing major from Mercer, was among 15 students providing free medical advice to residents of Nassau, Bahamas.
Hostetler无毛视频檚 first international trip involved going to schools and educating students in health and hygiene, talking with people at a long-term health care facility, meeting with the Blind Association of the Bahamas and working with a group that supplies food for people in need.
无毛视频淚t definitely set the bar super high for if I should ever go again,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭hey were so thankful that they were my first trip. They were really welcoming and wanted us to come back. The people of the Bahamas are just amazing. I would say 95% of the people we came in contact with when we said we were missionaries from America, the trust level was through the roof. The appreciation they had was unreal.无毛视频�
Hostetler said he educated Bahamian males about self-exams to check for testicular cancer.
无毛视频淲e got to do different health screenings on locals, people who attended our host church,无毛视频� he explained. 无毛视频淎nytime we went to schools, we were able to educate on health. That was the focus.无毛视频�
He enjoyed meeting with people at the health-care facility and sharing fellowship with people who don无毛视频檛 receive many visitors.
无毛视频淚t was definitely euphoric,无毛视频� Hostetler said. 无毛视频淢y heart has always been in service and helping people to begin with. Anytime you无毛视频檙e able to do good for somebody, it无毛视频檚 good for the soul. I think all of us that went on the trip would agree. Being able to spread the love of God and be like Jesus was in serving people, it was a once in a lifetime experience. It makes you super appreciative of what you have.无毛视频�
Other service trips included building homes to address housing insecurity in North Carolina, working with historical associations to preserve sites at Gettysburg National Park and serving with Urban Impact in Pittsburgh, a youth development organization.
无毛视频淭hey were able to make an impact, which was incredible to see,无毛视频� Dorsch said. 无毛视频淭o be able to see what they learned in the classroom and apply it was exciting for me to see as a leader.无毛视频�