September 4, 2007

University of Mobile Impacts the World through University Missions

“Changing Lives to Change the World” is not just a philosophy statement at the University of Mobile. The University Missions program put the statement into practice by sending 76 students, faculty, and members of the community to countries all over the world to touch the lives of numerous people. During the 2006-07 academic year mission teams from the University of Mobile distributed books of the Bible, conducted church services, prayer-walked, built chapels, and held Vacation Bible School, all in the name of Christ.

University Missions is a program at the University of Mobile operated through the School of Christian Studies. Dr. Cecil Taylor, dean of the School of Christian Studies, is head of the program. The various mission trips are led by professors from the School of Christian Studies. According to Dr. Taylor, University Missions helps missionaries already in the field achieve their goals and gives participants opportunities to tell people about the gospel of Christ.

University Missions sent teams to seven countries during 2006-07. These countries included Ireland, Bangladesh, Niger, Australia, Brazil, Wales, and Barbados.

A team of 11 was sent to Ireland where they carried out prayer walks and engaged in conversations about Christ in youth hostels, coffee shops and restaurants, and at the local university in Galway City.

In Bangladesh, a team of five distributed 8,000 copies of the gospels Luke and John from the bible and shared the good news of Christ with the people of Baristol.

In Niger, a team of seven prayer-walked and taught about Christ through telling the stories of the Bible.

The seven-member team in Australia assisted New Life Baptist church in Sidney in a number of ministries, which included conducting church services for various ethnic groups.

The team in Brazil had 27 members working in Nova Friburgo where they built a chapel for a mission congregation, conducted six church services, made 116 evangelistic visits and had 329 people accept Christ as their personal lord and savior. They also had 1,167 children attend backyard Bible clubs. The nurses on the team saw 463 patients for health assessments and fitted 453 people with reading glasses.

A team of 12 in Wales helped with enrollment in Vacation Bible School in Pontcymer, Wales where 21 people accepted Christ as savior and the Christian youth organized for Bible study and peer support. For the first time in 10 years of missions in the Graw Valley, parents were in attendance.

In Barbados a team of seven helped the Barbados Baptist Convention distribute water and Christian literature to people coming to attend the World Cup of Cricket.

University Missions opportunities for 2007-2008 include trips to China, Chile, Bangladesh, Greece, Peru, Taiwan, Niger, Brazil, Ireland, Wales, Australia, Mali, and Isle of Man. For those interested in participating in missions, Taylor has this advice, “If you like your life exactly as it is right now, you should not go on a mission trip. But if you want to have an experience that will forever alter the way you live your life, then I would recommend it.”

For information on University Missions, contact the UM School of Christian Studies at (251) 442-2406 or e-mail ctalylor@mail.umobile.edu. For more about the University Of Mobile, visit the website at www.umobile.edu or call 1-800-WIN-RAMS or (251) 442-2273.

By Shaterica Sherman, senior, public relations writer