Cedars, March 2018

March 2018 8 COVER STORY Students Show Christ’s Love in Ecuador by Brianna Saucier C edarville’s newest spring break trip enabled students to partner with Word of Life Missionaries in Cotaca- chi, Ecuador. The team, led by senior Priscila Gon- zalez, consisted of 13 students: Lauren Bernhardt, Kayla Casaletto, Alyssa Cody, Miranda Dyson, Paige DeHaven, Hannah Ferris, Melanie Poindexter, Presley Sheme- lia, Spencer Urban, Mackenzie Wade, Josh- ua Wade and Evangeline Wismer. This trip was the first one to Ecuador sanctioned by Cedarville, and was complete- ly student-led. The planning, preparation and execution was all handled by Gonzalez, which she said was a new and challenging experience for her. “I never realized how much work went into preparing before,” Gonzalez said. “It took a lot of discipline, and it definitely stretched me a lot. But it ended up being really good.” The trip hit close to home for Gonzalez. Not only are her parents a part of the orga- nization they partnered with, she was also born and raised in Ecuador. “I wanted to show people from school a little about my culture while getting to serve and reach out to those who are lost,” Gon- zalez said. “It was helpful that I had an idea of what it was going to be like and had been there before, so I wasn’t going in blind.” The advertised focus of the trip was children’s ministry, with events like vaca- tion Bible schools planned on the schedule. While the members came from a variety of majors, most said they were drawn to the trip because of the opportunity to serve children. “Growing up, my family went through times of being in need and I remember how much of an impact others helping had on my life,” Shemelia said in an email. “[I went because] I was excited by the idea of getting to work with needy children.” During the trip, students ran a vacation Bible school, gave out boxes from Operation Christmas Child, completed a paint project, visited daycares and public schools, per- formed drama skits, and ministered to juve- niles in a detention center. “[It was] different every day,”Wade said. “At each place we went we spoke the gospel.” As a result, they were able tominister to a wide range of people, from toddlers still learn- ing to walk to adults and administrators. “It was a really great time to get to know everyone on the team and see the impact we had in the communities on the kids,” Wade said. “It was encouraging to see all the joy they had despite having less than we do.” Despite the variety of tasks that the students were involved in, their work with the VBS remained the most consistent. They hosted the VBS multiple times in different areas. The main VBS was at a local church. The event lasted for three days, and approx- imately 100 students attended. The team also had the opportunity to present the VBS at different public schools. The team would visit the schools al- most every morning, followed by the VBS in the afternoon. The schools stopped all class- es and called the entire student body togeth- er for the VBS. The students would lead the children in skits, games (including a Hula Hoop challenge), and songs. “We had one skit that was serious and one that was more funny,” Casaletto said in an email. “It was really fun to put these skits on for them and see their smiles.” The students had been aiming toward children with their games and message, but it also reached a different audience. On their final day, Shemelia ap- proached the principal to thank her for the opportunity to minister to her students, only to be surprised by the response of the non-Christian woman. “She thanked me for coming and ex- plained that these kids desperately needed to hear a message of hope because they are growing up in a violent and drug-ridden community,” Shemelia said in an email. “She sees us loving them with God’s love.” Shemelia shared her own testimony in Photo provided by Alyssa Cody The Cedarville students lead kids in worship during a Vacation Bible School at a local church in the mountains of Ecuador.