RIVERSIDE, Calif. (May 6, 2015) -- California Baptist University sent out 16 volunteer teams to their global fields of service this week, in 2015's first wave of International Service Projects (ISP), United States Projects (USP) and Summer of Service (SOS).

More than 370 participants will be sent out this summer on 42 teams to 16 countries. The teams also will include the 4,000^th participant in the 19-year history of ISP/USP/SOS. Groups departing May 5 and 6 went to Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Poland, Spain, Thailand and United Kingdom.

"We go to the places that are farther, harder and more expensive, because they still are just as lost and they still need access to the gospel," Kristen White, director of global mobilization, told family and friends sending a team off. "What I want you to pray for these students is they go there and they see more of what God is doing around the world."

Before they leave the campus, each team gathers to pray at the Kugel, a globe that rests on a base inscribed with the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20).

"Pray that our students get stretched, that they work through the hard things and that they remain resolved to their faith and resolved to what God's called them to do, to be obedient, no matter what that is and no matter how challenging it is," White said. The theme this year is Resolve.

Each participant went through more than 75 hours of training to prepare for service opportunities, including Intensive Training Weekend that simulates overseas situations.