14 April 2010

MBU Campus Ministries has been busy this year raising money for mission trips to Haiti and Guatemala.

All students are encouraged to sign up for mission trips at the beginning of the year, regardless if they have the money to go. Students are responsible for maintaining a passport and receiving all the necessary vaccinations.

Students are also expected to write and send out support letters to help offset the expenses. The average cost of a mission trip is $1,200. With the support that students raise and the money that was made through campus activities, many do not have to dig deep into their own pockets.

The activities that helped raise funds this year were dodge ball tournaments, the annual Vengeance tournament and a benefit concert.

The dodge ball tournaments were held in the Muncy gym and lasted until the early hours of the morning. Some of the teams went all out and even had uniforms. The entry fee went to Campus Ministries to support missions.

Vengeance is a campus-wide top-secret water gun fight that, for a fee students are assigned a target – another participant. As tempting as it is, you cannot shoot a target while they are class or while participating in an athletic event. The game goes until the last target is eliminated. “This is my favorite fundraising activity we do throughout the year. The competition is intense,” commented Campus Minister Jonathan White.

The biggest fundraiser this year was a benefit concert held in The Perk featuring Jenny Gill (http://www.vincegill.com/music/index.php), the daughter of Vince Gill, Stacey Donahue (http://www.myspace.com/stacydonahue), singer and songwriter for Taylor Swift, and Diana DeGarmo (http://www.myspace.com/dianadegarmo), Season 3 American Idol finalist. “These girls donated their time and talent to help out MBU students go on mission trips this summer,” said Jonathan White. “It was a great performance!” Donations collected at The Perk went to MBU Campus Ministries.

Time is running out to raise support for these trips. Students will be going to Haiti May 1-8, 2010 and Guatemala June 19-26, 2010. To learn more and keep up with what God is doing on these trips, click here.