Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2018

Bechtel, a youth ministry graduate of Cedarville, first became involved with ICI through a short-term trip his sophomore year. While serving there, Bechtel discovered he had a passion for sharing the Gospel with kids in the city. He returned to ICI for two more spring break trips and then completed a summer internship. The fall after graduation, Bechtel became a full-time staff member at ICI, where he has continued to serve for more than 19 years. “These trips really helped give me a ministry direction,” explained Bechtel. “I built relationships, learned how to raise support, and applied what I learned at Cedarville to ministry in the city.” Bechtel is not the only Cedarville student to join ICI after participating in a short-term trip. Many other students have discovered that God had a long-term plan to use them in the lives of Chicago youth. According to Bechtel, nearly half of Cedarville alumni who have joined the ICI staff have been connected through short-term trips or internships. SERVING THE COMMUNITY Many Cedarville students who serve on a spring break trip in Chicago continue their relationship with ICI after graduation. Some alumni bring teams from their churches or youth groups to serve during the summer, while others are currently serving as pastors, nurses, and teachers in other areas of Chicago. More than 20 people who have been on short-term trips are now teaching in the Chicago area. Rachel Leake ’18, a Spanish education graduate, served on two spring break trips to Chicago with ICI, first as a team member and then as a team leader. Leake, who is now teaching in Chicago, believes her time at ICI helped her recognize her strengths and discover where God wanted her to serve. “Through going to ICI, I met a lot of people from local churches and organizations,” said Leake. “I also counseled middle school girls at an ICI summer camp for a week. All of these things gave me confidence in my decision to move to Chicago because I knew that the Lord had prepared me.” Spring break trips may be a small part of ICI’s ministry in Chicago, but the long-term impact of these trips is evident. These trips are not only helping transform the lives of inner-city youth with the Gospel, but they are also preparing Cedarville students for lifelong service in the urban neighborhoods of Chicago and beyond. Madi Cannon ’17 is a Research Assistant at Empower Ministries International and a freelance writer. She is currently pursuing a Master of Theology degree at Dallas Theological Seminary. Cedarville Magazine | 17