Outreach to offer four mission opportunities during spring break

Outreach, Oklahoma Christian University’s on-campus missions organization, has taken students on spring break mission trips for nearly thirty years. This year, they continue that tradition by offering trips to four cities during spring break: Quinlan, TX, Marshall, IL, St. Louis, MO and New Iberia, LA.

Senior Joshua Clements, the president of Outreach, said he is excited for the opportunity to serve others and to ultimately serve the kingdom of God. According to Clements, the four trips provide a unique position for students who decide to participate.

“It gives as many people as possible [the opportunity] to go on a trip,” Clements said. “It also gives us the opportunity to reach as many people and places as we can.”

In Quinlan, Outreach plans to work at Boles Children’s Home to help with general maintenance repairs to the facilities and work with some of the children there. Clements, alongside his role as president, is in charge of organizing the trip.

“In serving them, we will be helping improve the quality of life for children who are not fortunate enough to be with their families,” Clements said.

The Marshall trip will work much more closely with families and children within a small community. Senior Blake Mayfield, the treasurer of Outreach, is in charge of putting together the Marshall trip.

“We will be working closely with a small group of people for the entirety of the week, whereas the other trips may not get to be quite as close with the same people the whole week,” Mayfield said.

According to senior Rett Parker, Outreach’s vice president, who heads up the St. Louis trip, the trip will be very different, serving those living in the inner city.

“This trip specifically will be working in the inner city,” Parker said. “More than likely, we will be engaged in the heart of St. Louis. The other trips are more about engaging in small towns and the life there.”

The New Iberia trip will focus on building relationships in the community by working with organizations there, such as Envision DaBerry; the local community garden, the Boys and Girls Club and construction or home repairs.

Each trip is open to all students and will cost $20 to attend, not including souvenirs or meal expenses while traveling to and from each location. Each group will leave early during the week of spring break and return Friday or Saturday, giving students time to recuperate from their week of service before getting back to school.

Those who are interested in learning more about the trips should email outreachofficers@oc.edu.