This spring break, Messiah’s student-led missions hub, the Agapé Center, is organizing two service trips for students and faculty. Two groups of 12–15 students and faculty will partner with a different ministry, according to Emma Narber, graduate assistant for service trips at the Agapé Center.
One group will work with The Philadelphia Project from March 7–12. While the itinerary has not been finalized, Narber expects the team will help with neighborhood restoration, construction and youth outreaches throughout the city. The other team will assist Praying Pelican Ministries in hurricane relief efforts in western North Carolina from March 9–14. The team will help with repair in flood-affected neighborhoods through restoration, construction and debris removal.
While registration has closed for this year’s spring break trips, students can get involved with the Agapé Center in other ways. On Service Day, held on April 10, classes are cancelled to allow students time to participate in one of several local service opportunities. Additionally, the Agapé Center will coordinate trips for fall break, which will be announced in September.
“We really try to work with organizations that aim to empower and equip communities for success and really learn from the community that we’re in in order to walk alongside them and learn from them,” Narber said.
Alumna Sydney Sefing participated in three service trips throughout her time at Messiah and served as service trips logistics coordinator during her senior year.
“Some days we were pulling out moldy tiles or struggling to overcome a difficult language barrier, but regardless of what we were doing, we did it with humble hearts and a vigor for both teaching and learning,” she said.
Sefing appreciates the relationships she formed during service trips.
“To this day, I still keep in touch with quite a few of the people that I got to share these trips with,” she said. “It’s crazy to think that I might never have met them otherwise.”
Assistant Director and Domestic Service Trips Coordinator Mireliz Bermudez, a senior, has been on three service trips internationally and domestically.
“Being able to immerse myself and come alongside people and communities really helped me see how Jesus is alive and present and moving in those communities, and it allowed me see how God is so good in my life,” she said.
Narber believes that participating in service opportunities is an important spiritual practice.
“Taking the opportunity and time to go into a service opportunity paves the way for you to recognize and see your neighbors and learn how to serve and love in a way the Lord calls us to, one that is humble and kind and gentle,” Narber said.