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Travel and Service Opportunities

Juniors Abroad - Costa Rica and Panama

In May 2005, Professors Viki Defferding and Clella Jaffe led George Fox students to Costa Rica and Panama. During this learning tour, the students had the opportunity to learn more about the Central American culture and about the Central Americans themselves. They learned about U.S.-Central American relations, businesses and economies.

An important aspect of this trip was the study of how the Central America modern culture interacts with Christianity. The group visted various religious institutions, worshiped with local believers, and experienced their unique cultural adaptations of the Christian faith.

Two to three days of the study tour focused on the integration of faith in service as the students served alongside Central American Christian brothers and sisters in a couple of short-service/humanitarian aide projects.

In May of 2004, professors Debbie Berhó and Viki Defferding led a group of students from Honduras to Costa Rica.

The group visited both urban and rural areas, the fabulous Mayan ruins at Tikal, and the beautiful beaches of Costa Rica. In between, the students interacted with several indigenous groups of Guatemala and served alongside local pastors in ministry to street orphans and teens from the poorest sectors.

Through this trip, students not only had the opportunity to increase their Spanish speaking and comprehension skills, but more importantly experienced serving God in a culture unique to their own. For more information regarding Juniors Abroad, please contact Paul Chamberlain, or visit George Fox University's Juniors Abroad Web page.

George Fox University May Serve 2005

In May, campus pastor Gregg Lamm led a group of undergraduate students to Cuba and Jamaica. May Serve is a month-long trip which provides students with a life-changing opportunity to see firsthand the urgent needs of people in the world today and to have a part in meeting some of those needs. The focus is on service, evangelism, and experiencing a small part of what it's like to be a missionary. Please visit George Fox Spiritual Life for more information regarding May Serve.

Student Trips

• Matt Hyland, a sophomore Spanish minor, traveled to the cities of Puerta Cabezas and Krin Krin. Regarding his reason for traveling to South America, Matt states, "I went to give of myself. If all I did in one day was spend time with orphans playing with them or taking them to the beach for the day, or reading to them, or playing games and singing with them, that was enough."
• Beth Hernandez, a junior with a double-major in Spanish and international studies, traveled to the cities of Managua and Puerta Cabezas, Nicaragua. Beth's travels consisted of conducting interviews with women in police stations, jails, maternity homes, and health clinics. She also spent each day at an orphanage. She also translated between nurses in her group and Nicaraguans regarding health problems.
• Daniel Predoehl, a senior with a double-major in Spanish and international studies, had the opportunity to be the assistant general manager of the Athletes in Action Latin American Baseball Tour, a part of Campus Crusade's sports ministry department. He traveled to Nicaragua and Venezuela translating for teammates, presenting the gospel in Spanish to Nicaraguan and Venezuelan baseball teams, and participating in other types of cross-cultural ministry.