BU Students Hope to Grow Closer to God through Mission Trips

Sixteen Bluefield University students will be taking part in mission trips abroad in May where they hope to not only spread the Gospel, but also grow their own relationships with God.

Under the supervision of Dr. Henry Clary, assistant professor of Christian studies and BU’s director of mission and calling, nine of the students will travel to Ecuador, May 9-16, while seven will travel to Spain that same week.

“In Madrid, Spain, the students will work with Baptist missionaries in university student outreach with the hope of planting a church,” Dr. Clary said. “In Quito, Ecuador, students will work at a Christian children’s home.”

When trying to decide where to go on the mission trips, Dr. Clary said he prayed about it, hoping God would provide the answer as to where the students needed to be.

“Spain has a good team of Baptist missionaries who are easy to work with and who are doing outreach to post-modern university students, so that is more on the cutting edge of current missions,” Dr. Clary said. “I chose Ecuador because the children’s home is a faithful, well-run organization that is ministering in the trenches to Ecuadorian society in helping the ‘least of these.’”

Dr. Clary said prayer was also a big part of choosing the best students to go and to serve on mission.

“A BU student must submit an application and speak with me,” Dr. Clary said about the selection process. “We pray about it, and then they are welcomed to join the team.”

BU student Michael Vichiola is a part of the Ecuador team. He said he felt this trip would allow God to teach him a few things, and he would get to experience a new place.

“Originally, I wasn’t planning on going on a mission trip,” Vichiola said, “because I was worried about the paperwork, including the fact that I needed a passport, (but) I asked my social worker and the necessary people if it was okay for me to go, and honestly they were thrilled to support me to get what I needed to go.”

Hannah Shockley is a member of the team heading to Spain.

“I decided to participate because I want to step out of my comfort zone and be a witness to others,” Shockley said. “I went to Philadelphia in 2018 with my church and worked with a church planter in the outskirts of the city. That experience showed me that even the tiniest of action could have a big impact on someone’s life.”

The Ecuador trip was originally scheduled for Spring Break, but it got postponed for a variety of reasons.

“Because of COVID, we were way behind in fundraising heading into January, so it made sense to postpone so we could catch up there,” Dr. Clary said about delaying the mission trips. “(And) the spring break dates specifically for Ecuador had already been taken by another group so those dates were blocked out.”

Mission trips provide a fulfilling experience for not only those being helped, but also those who help. Isaiah Rife, a BU student going on the trip to Ecuador, said he hopes to establish a connection with the people of Ecuador while also developing a new world-view.

“Most importantly, I hope to see the orphanage gain more from me than what I gain from them,” Rife said.

Vichiola added that he looks forward to the experience and to growing his relationship with God.

“What does He (God) want me to understand when I’m in Ecuador,” Vichiola said, “or what does He plan on doing to me while I’m there?”