Missions Week is beginning Monday Oct. 28 and going through Saturday Nov. 2 with numerous events and opportunities to learn more about missions at ACU and around the world.
Assistant Coordinator of Worldwide Witness Anne Hocking has planned the annual event and says that this year Missions Week is the biggest its been.
“This is officially the largest missions week we’ve ever had with the most events and most opportunities than we’ve ever provided before which is super exciting,” Hocking said. “It’s a come and see kind of thing. Every night is completely different and even ends with a service project on Saturday.”
Alum Kolby Hart says that even know, missions week is a great opportunity for students currently at ACU to learn more about missions.
“[The missions department] do a great job of offering opportunities for students to get plugged in. Missions week is a chance for students to learn more because it puts it right in front of everyone,” Hart said.
According to the Director of the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service, Dodd Roberts, the annual event and increased exposure to missions has led to more awareness about missions on campus. As an ACU alum, Roberts was involved in missions during his time on campus states that the mission we are on for God is equally as important where we are everyday.
“We really emphasize that we need to be living mission-ally and realize that we are a part of God’s mission everyday where we are, every minute of every day,” Roberts said.
However, Roberts still identifies the many enriching benefits of traveling with missions.
“One benefit is that we get to see first hand what God is doing in other places in the world. God is working everywhere in the world and we get to go have a front row seat to see what God is doing and how he’s working through people in different parts of the world,” Roberts said. “Another benefit of that is to give people a great cross-cultural experience and to have an appreciation for other cultures. Most of the missions experiences specifically really let people dive into the culture.”
In addition, Hocking was involved in missions during her college years and has seen benefits in her own life as well as students who choose to go on missions themselves.
“Missions literally changed my life and I encountered my first international experience in college. I think not only does it change your perspective on the world, different cultures, diversity and the benefit and the beauty behind but it also builds your relationship with God and shows how big and diverse and unique he is as a creative God who made the entire world and every single people group in it.”
Students who are interested in becoming a part of missions here at ACU are encouraged to fill out an application at www.acu.edu/missions and are encouraged to ask questions.
“I would absolutely tell any student who even has the smallest inkling that this is something they want to do to ask questions. If you’re not sure if looks the way you want it to look or if you’re not sure you want to do the traditional thing please challenge us to come create something or find something that actually matches you perfectly,” Hocking said. “We truly do believe every student was uniquely and beautifully created to do his kingdom work and that is to reach his people whether that’s Abilene, across the US or across the world we just want to help students find that place.”
