Bucs serve worldwide for Spring Break 

Students, faculty, and staff from Charleston Southern University shone brightly last week as they exemplified the meaning of servant leadership. Groups from campus ministries, residence life, and academic creative teamwork represented the university through various mission trips as they scattered over the globe.  

Cyprus 

Five students from the Nielsen College of Business, two cybersecurity majors from the College of Science and Mathematics, and three professors partnered this semester in a creative teamwork course to serve a sports company based in Cyprus. The company operates clinics, training, and camps all over the world. The CSU team created a new website, a marketing plan, and assisted with branding design. They also helped with a soccer clinic. 

Each year the creative teamwork class chooses a new country and a different business. On this trip, they met with team members from Sri Lanka and Cyprus to learn more about their businesses and how the Gospel is used through them. The group, who teamed up with First Baptist Church of Charleston, also traveled to Greece and Paphos—where Apostle Paul ended his second journey—as well as Salimas, where Paul started his journey. 

“Trips like this expand our understanding of the world in terms of business and technology,” Dr. Emory Hiott, assistant professor of business, said. “But it also allows students to understand differences among cultures and the overwhelming love of Christ for all peoples.” 

Utah 

More than 30 students partnered with the Redemption Family of Churches—a group of four churches throughout northern Utah with a common mission and goal of starting 20 churches in the next 10 years. The CSU group spent time in Kaysville, Ogden, and North Ogden canvassing thousands of homes with invites to church; delivered goody bags to local businesses, government, and first responders; and paid for people’s laundry at local laundromats. These opportunities opened the door for students to have Gospel conversations beyond the walls of a church.  

Bobby Wood, lead pastor of Redemption Church in Ogden, Utah, and a Send City Missionary with the North American Mission Board, said that college students have been integral to every major revival and move of Christianity throughout history.  

“We live in the last pre-Christian area in America that is 98% lost,” he said. “For us to see this place transformed with the Gospel, it’s going to take men and women in places where the presence of the Gospel is greater to come to a place where the presence of the Gospel is least. I believe that God will use college students to see awakening break out in our city.” 

Wood also serves on the Board of Trustees for CSU, and he reiterated how thankful he was for the group. “Having CSU students come to Salt Lake City and be on mission is a direct answer to prayer, and I believe that God is going to do something powerful through their work.” 

Tennessee 

For more than 20 years, students and staff have traveled to Erwin, Tennessee, to serve the community and members of Fishery Community Church. This year, the largest team ever (24 students and staff) participated in their mission of serving widows and the elderly with home projects such as yard work, cleaning gutters, simple construction projects, and more.  

“Most importantly, we made sure to share the love of Christ with these people and reminded them that they are not alone,” said Anna Ellis, residence life coordinator.  
 
At the end of each work project, the CSU team prayed with the ones they served. By the end of the week, they left them with a bouquet of flowers and handwritten cards to remind them of continued prayers.  

Many of those helped were faithful followers of Christ who needed a helping hand. “The students learned about the power of prayer from some of the greatest prayer warriors, they learned about godly marriages, how to love and serve others expecting nothing in return, how important a church community is, and most importantly how important it is to have faith in the Lord through all things because life will not always be easy, but God is always good,” Ellis said. 

Global Impact 

Students also served in undisclosed areas of the world where the Gospel continues to be spread. Seth Friend, campus pastor at CSU, said, “Here at CSU we are committed to following Christ’s command in the Great Commission. Making sure the Gospel reaches those overseas, as well as right next door is something we focus on in our discipleship here on campus. I am so proud of our students.”

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