Spring Break Wrap Up

MVNU students were flung far and wide for the spring break service learning trips.

A total of 84 students traveled to Belize, Germany, Guyana, Guatemala, Melbourne, Florida and Indianapolis, Indiana.

MVNU held a recap on Wednesday to give students the opportunity to share their experiences.

The recap was headed by Joe Noonen.

“When you graduate you will have an education most people don’t have,” he said of the opportunities the students had.

Noonen was also proud of the students for venturing out of their comfort zone.

“Individuals do not willfully and intentionally re-neighbor,” he said.

Noonen also gave the students a chance to share their experiences and insights from their trips.

Many said their learned and grew in unexpected ways.

“A lot of people think when you go on a service learning trip, you will be the one helping out,” junior Lenna Neokratis said. “But they ended up helping us out. I saw God by being served instead of serving.”

Sophomore Madeline Frantz shared her emotional experience to something as simple as seeing the perfection of a new baby.

Sophomore Tiffany Lawrence went to Guyana and said her favorite part was the community aspect.

“The moment we stepped off the boat, they were so welcoming and immediately started loving on us,” she said. “It inspired me to live that way. God has called us to love others.”

This is the first year for the Guatemala trip and the first year an additional group went to Indianapolis.

Students received five chapel credits for their trips.

The next service learning trips are this summer. 27 students will be headed to Swaziland and the Pacific Northwest.