Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2018

SINCE 1971, MISSIONS INVOLVEMENT SERVICE/GLOBAL OUTREACH TEAMS HAVE VISITED 96 COUNTRIES, BRINGING THE GOSPEL, SHARING HOPE, ENGAGING CULTURE, AND MINISTERING TO SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL NEEDS. What begins with a short-termmissions trip will often carry over into the lives of people living in those places, who will then impact the lives of their families, friends, and neighbors. And it all begins in the cornfields of southwestern Ohio, where God has grown a Professional and liberal arts university to bring glory for His name. What follows are the stories of international partners whose ministries have been touched by the faithful service of Cedarville short-term teams. THE LUKE COMMISSION Since 2008, Cedarville teams have been visiting Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland until this spring), a landlocked nation between Mozambique and South Africa near Africa’s east coast. They go in support of The Luke Commission, founded and led by Harry ’96 and Echo (Tuinstra) VanderWal ’96. The Luke Commission provides medical care coupled with Gospel proclamation at mobile clinics throughout the country. Cedarville teams work alongside long-term staff to provide assistance with day-to-day operations at The Luke Commission’s Miracle Campus, where the VanderWals and permanent staff live and lead the ministry, and on mobile outreaches. The short-term teams also help out with special projects related to administration, data entry, and warehouse organization. “At times, students with certain majors are given the opportunity to assist with projects in their particular field of study, dependent on our needs when they visit,” noted Joe Noonen, Senior Strategist for The Luke Commission. Cedarville began sending teams in 2008, when a group of nursing students looking for a missions opportunity “happened” upon The Luke Commission. Rebekah Sartori ’05 led that trip, which was originally planned for Zimbabwe, but was canceled due to political unrest in that country. “I let all four students who were signed up for the trip know what had happened,” said Sartori. “Some cried. We were all so excited to serve. We had raised support, turned down summer jobs, and put in lots of preparation for service. I reminded them that God had a plan for us. So we started praying and looking for other opportunities.” Teammember Tiffany (Schlueter) Riggleman ’09 sent an email to the VanderWals, not really knowing much about them. “Amidst the myriad mission organizations that wrote back with ‘no’-type answers, Harry and Echo VanderWal responded back quickly, explaining that they both had also graduated from Cedarville and were already looking forward to having a Cedarville team come and serve alongside them,” Sartori explained. “Their response was so positive: ‘We feel like God has just dropped you in our laps, and we would love to have you come!’” And so began the fruitful partnership of advancing the Gospel between Cedarville and The Luke Commission. And it’s a relationship that continues to bear fruit through patients trusting in Christ personally and growing in their faith because Cedarville teams come with hearts prepared to serve. “Cedarville works well with teams to speak to their attitudes of service before they come,” noted Harry VanderWal. “Their willingness to come with no expectations of what they will do and how helpful they will be is evidenced in an attitude of service that is humble and teachable, willing to do whatever, whenever, however.” “We look back on Cedarville teams and have fond memories of them serving with us,” added Echo VanderWal. “As more teams come, we look forward to the stories that develop as God writes His story into the lives of those who follow His invitation to serve.” Cedarville Magazine | 19