GCU TODAY • 2 1
Students, staff go the extra mile (and weeks) to spread the Gospel
Where in the world did GCU students and staff go?
It started with a group of students from the College of Nursing and
Health Care Professions in March and ended with a journey in July
to the Czech Republic. In between, Grand Canyon University’s 2015
global mission programwas …what?
“It was a roller-coaster of emotions.”
“There’s nothing like being on a mission to remind you that
almost nothing goes according to plan or meets expectations.”
“I was challenged to rely only on God.”
Judging from those sentiments, the 388 GCU students and staff
who went on mission trips to 21 countries and regions returned as
changed people. That’s a given, as reflected by the Global Outreach
Ministry team’s motto: “Short-term trip, lifetime impact.” But this
year not all the trips were short.
Not only were there more participants this year; some trips
were much longer — as much as two months compared to the
normal mission trip of two weeks. The extra length precluded GCU
staff members from going on those trips, which meant students got
to step up and lead.
“One of our visions was to have students take more ownership,”
said Jacob Page, GCU’s global outreach coordinator. “We wanted
them to take that experience and apply it locally, and I think that
happened.”
RICK VACEK
MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED
Costa Rica
60
Fiji
39
Peru
33
Mexico
31
South Africa
30
Kenya
27
Philippines/
Thailand
26
Cambodia
24
Indonesia
22
Haiti
17
Honduras
15
Nicaragua
15
Zambia/
Zimbabwe
11
China/India
9
Brazil
6
East Asia
6
Middle East
6
Uganda
6
Czech Republic
5
TOTAL:
388
SOUTH AFRICA:
“The people taught us
about Ubuntu, which
means ‘I amwhat I am
because of who we all
are.’ South Africans are
the kindest and most
joyful people we have
ever met.”
THAILAND/
CAMBODIA:
“The realities of
sex trafficking are
overwhelming, but
God showed the
students that hope and
redemption are bigger
than the darkness.”
COSTA RICA:
“The culture is to be
silent on a bus, but
a local missionary
showed how to be
bold in your faith by
preaching the Gospel
on bus trips.”
