Admissions | Undergraduate Admissions | Transfer Newsletter | International Service

International Service

By: Dot Tobey, Admissions Intern

This May, 18 George Fox University students and two faculty members will travel to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to interact and learn from those affected by the sex-trafficking industry. The group, a part of George Fox University's May Serve program, will have the opportunity to assist two ministries as they seek to address issues in the sex-trade industry in Thailand.

"Serving the international community is a very important part of growing our faith and learning," says Laurie Brown, the trip's student leader. "It changes your perspective on learning, God, and culture, and teaches you how to enter into solidarity in the body of Christ."

May Serve, a program central to George Fox University's mission of service, began in 1991 when a group of faculty and students traveled to Ukraine to serve at a George Fox sister school. The program has since sent nearly 350 students to eight different countries on three- to four-week short-term mission trips. This May, Thailand will be added to the list of countries that includes Malawi, Russia, Romania, Jamaica, Cuba, Brazil, India, and the Philippines.

According to May Serve Director Andrea Crenshaw, the purpose of May Serve is threefold:

To be obedient to the words of Jesus to "Go make disciples of all nationsâ?¦" (Matthew 28:18-20)
To provide an experience in which each team member will be challenged spiritually, emotionally, and culturally
To enhance awareness and exposure to other cultures and explore future involvement in missions.

A new group of students will have the opportunity to participate in this unique program from May 10 to June 3. One freshman, three sophomores, four juniors, and 10 seniors will be joined by faculty leaders Roger and Sue Newell for three weeks of ministry in the red-light district of Chiang Mai, Thailand, and the surrounding hill tribe villages.

While in Thailand, the team will be working with two ministries: The Garden of Hope and Remember Nhu. According to its website, "The Garden of Hope reaches out to women, children, and youth involved in, at risk of, or affected by prostitution, sexual exploitation and/or trafficking by developing Christ-centered relationships and offering alternative livelihoods and resources for personal development."

The team will assist Garden of Hope in various work projects and take part in outreaches to women and teens caught in prostitution and children who are at risk of being caught up in sex-trafficking.

Likewise, on its website, Remember Nhu states the organization seeks to "eliminate the use of children in the sex-slave industry around the world through partnerships with concerned people in the United States and the international community."

While working with Remember Nhu, the team will have the opportunity to minister to the people of various hill tribe villages through Vacation Bible Schools, clothing distributions, etc. They also will visit Remember Nhu's children's homes that keep children out of the sex-trafficking industry. Several participants expressed a passion to address this social injustice. However, many of them also expressed nervousness over some of the issues they will face on the trip.

"This whole issue is way beyond anything I've been directly exposed to," says freshman Keely Corder. "I'm excited to meet the people and experience the culture."

Corder's mother, Colleen Corder, expressed her confidence in knowing her daughter is in good hands. "The program is well-organized, which gives me confidence in letting Keely go," Colleen says. Colleen also stated that she has no hesitations in allowing her daughter to make the trip.

Roger Newell, the team's faculty co-leader, commented, "I hope that being taken out of our normal routines and comfort zones will provide a unique opportunity to see the relevance of Christ and our little mustard seed of faith in him to create communion with a world that is so different from the one to which I am typically attuned."

Crenshaw expressed her enthusiasm for the program. "The students go to serve and to share about Jesus," she says, "but, often find that they themselves are served and meet Jesus in a new and real way."

Applications for the May Serve program are typically available in the fall semester. After submitting an application, selected students receive interviews before final team decisions are made. Teams are announced before Christmas break. For more information on the May Serve program, contact Crenshaw at acrensha@georgefox.edu.