Break for Change Spring 2017

Written By: Weslee Clark

Staff Writer

      What did you do over Spring Break? For most it included beach trips, amusement parks, and a lot of resting up. Not for some Bryan College students. Over Spring Break three groups went to Costa Rica, Haiti, Houston Texas and Dayton, Tenn. These groups went out, served, and loved on the people bringing them towards Christ.

One of the trips was locally in Dayton, Tennessee. While in Dayton, the team was able to perform many

Dayton Break for change team
Dayton Break for Change team

service projects including playing with the children at Graysville Elementary School. They also were able to fix up a lady’s house, build ramp on a man’s house in the parks of Dayton, and served food at Mountain View Methodist Church. Abby Webb, in a team member of the Dayton trip said“I wanted to go on a mission trip where I would be involved with local kids and get to know a team of people here at Bryan better. This trip impacted me by bringing me closer to my team members and it opened my eyes to all that should and needs to be done in Dayton.”

      There was a trip that headed off to Houston, Texas. While in Houston, the team went to help out with the International YMCA in Houston. They checked on the progress of how they are doing with their program on anti- human trafficking, refugee resettlement, and

Houston, Texas break for change team
Houston, Texas Break for Change team

asylum seekers. Abigail Ryan was a team member on the Houston trip and when asked what impacted her the most, she said that “We don’t have to know their stories. We just need to try to help them as best as we can.”

      Another trip went to Grand Goave, Haiti. The team worked with the Hands and Feet Project. They went to an orphanage, had some work projects, toured, went to a market, went to the beach, played with the neighboring children, and had Creole (the Haitian native another culture and seeing how they are still happy with little to no money. It has also taught me that in the Haitian culture, they want to work. They will make and sell things at the marketplace”, said Katy Wright, a team member on the trip to Haiti.

      One other trip went to Costa Rica. While there, this team began by going to Jaco Beach to attend a church service and pray over a mission camp the church wanted to begin. They then took apart a family’s house in order to rebuild it and make it safer. They also held a soccer camp with the Iglesias Radical, the foundation they worked with. They then went to San Jose where they built a bamboo shelter for a church with no building. They ended the trip where they went to a school, where half of the team painted a fire escape and the other half painted a house.  

Haiti break for change team
Haiti Break for Change team

      The group leader was Rebecca McCronkey. She explained that she went to Peru last year and hoped to go back to a Spanish speaking country and the trip to Costa Rica just opened up. “Something that impacted me on this trip was seeing the faith that these people had. They physically have so much more less than I have, but they want to treat me as a guest. They rely on God for provision and are happy with what they have.”

Sadly, there was a fifth trip that was scheduled to go to Opelousas, Louisiana; however, there were to little people who showed up to go on the trip. Therefore, the trip had to be cancelled.

All in all, everyone who went on these three trips found them to be very impactful. These three trips are only the beginning, however. There are many more Break for Change trips on the horizon for both this summer and in the coming fall 2017 semester. If you are not planning to take one of these trips, keep those who are planning on going in your prayers.

Bio
I am a staff writer for the Triangle and cover topics going on in the school. Follow me on Instagram at wesleeclark97 or Twitter at WesleeWe.