Free handouts attract possible service workers

With signs bearing statements like "You could play soccer and learn Vietnamese" and offers of free mini-Frisbees and stickers, students were drawn to the mission agency displays in the Campus Center Greeting Hall last week.

The semiannual Mission and Service Days took place Oct. 13-15 throughout the EMU campus. Activities included special chapels on Monday and Wednesday, mission agency displays in the Campus Center, and class visits by mission agency representatives.

During chapel on Monday three EMU students shared their experiences with doing service in the community. Senior Kai Orenic began with a "confession" that, as a freshman, he had done all of his required service for First-Year Experience (now First-Year Seminar) during one day at the Relief Sale "just to get it over with." Now, however, he values the time he has each week with the children he works with, and said that he plans to continue doing service even though he already completed the requirements for class.

Wednesday's chapel was a light-hearted game show-style introduction to all of the mission and service agencies that were represented on campus that week.

The agencies' displays were set up in the Campus Center from Monday to Wednesday morning. Some representatives were surprised by how few students stopped by the displays to talk to representatives this year.

"Other years, there were so many I could hardly keep up with talking to all of them," said Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) representative Goldie Kuhns. She speculated that more students may come to the displays during the spring semester when students are usually thinking more about what they want to do during the summer or after graduation.

When asked about the benefits for college students of getting involved in service and missions, MCC campus representative Elaine Zook Barge said, "It expands your worldview, and everyone needs that whether they're in college or not. You realize that you're just one small part of the population on earth." Other benefits may involve room and board, a stipend, help paying off college loans, and possible Cross-Cultural credit, depending on the organization and term of service.

"You learn and receive so much, and hopefully you're able to give in the process," said Barge.

John Gill of Paxton Ministries explained what he sees as the difference between secular organizations and the kinds of Christian service ministries represented during the Mission and Service Days:

"People ask us about our incredible success rate and we give a lot of advice to other organizations. When people ask us how we do it…" He pointed to the words "Spreading Christ's love" on the display. "That's the secret…just lovin' on them."

Barge wants to "encourage people to take advantage of this resource that's on campus twice a year."

"The [representatives] value this as much as the students do, just being able to come down and talk to people," said Gill.