Second wave of CBU volunteers en route for global service

Riverside, Calif. (May 20, 2019) – California Baptist University’s second wave of volunteer teams have departed for their International Service Projects (ISP).

Ten teams departed from CBU May 10-20 to the continents of South America, Europe and Africa.

Per CBU tradition, before an ISP team’s departure, students, along with their family and friends gather to pray at the Kugel, a globe that rests on a base with the scripture from Matthew 28:19-20 etched in stone. 

Kris Smith, assistant director of mobilization, encouraged family members and friends to pray for the team members departing on May 20. At the Kugel prayer, she cited a quote from evangelist Oswald Chambers: “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, prayer is the greater work.”

“As you send the students out, I want you to understand that the role you are playing at home, the work is to pray,” Smith said. “As they go out, this is where the real work begins.”

Daniel Garcia, program coordinator of new student programs in Community Life, is co-leading a team to North Africa that will seek to engage in cultural immersion by meeting and connect with local people.

He encouraged his team at the send-off event to be Gospel minded on the trip.

“Anyone we come in contact with, we want to be able to have a conversation with them that will hopefully lead to the gospel being shared,” Garcia said. “Pray for boldness. I want all of us to be bold enough to spark up a conversation with a stranger and be discerning enough to know when the Holy Spirit is leading us to have a specific conversation.”

Tammy Pettit, assistant to the director of Facilities and Planning, is leading a team to Poland. Members of her team prepared to perform college ministry and youth camp retreat activities.

“Pray that we can build relationships with those people and for the people in Poland to have open hearts and ears to listen to the Gospel that we’re going to share with them,” Pettit said.

This summer, nearly 300 volunteers, comprising 35 teams, will serve in 25 countries. The teams will conduct theater and sports camps, assist in health care practices and interact with other cultures.