Mackenzie Britt, left, with fellow discipleship interns in Wooster, Mass.
By Edidiong EssienWCU studentWilliam Carey University’s motto is, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.” Over the summer, WCU students attempted great things for God as they served as missionaries in communities the U.S. and abroad.
“We start the process at CareyWOW. We begin talking to the students. The returning summer missionaries share their experiences and our Baptist Student Union lets students know about the opportunities they have to serve,” said BSU Director Dr. Tim Glaze.
“If a student believes that God is leading them to do this, if it’s something they feel and know, we want to walk with them through the process. It’s pretty intense but fun.”
Here’s a look at three of this summer’s missionaries, who shared some thoughts about their experiences.
Mackenzie BrittSophomore Mackenzie Britt is a native of Wesson: “I wanted to serve the Lord in some capacity, as far as my vacation plans went, and I decided not to hunt for a paid summer job.”
The BSU helped Britt find a place as a discipleship intern in Wooster, Mass.
This was a welcome surprise because she has always wanted to visit New England and do mission work there. Her love for church-planting and discipleship is a driving force in her life and guided the choice to be a summer missionary. Britt said it was hard to leave home and be so far away – but it was a learning experience.
“Life is not just about fulfilling my personal pleasures. This taught me sacrifice and how God sustains us even in hard times,” she said.
“I believe strongly that God calls his people forth in times of trouble, and that’s when we need to rise to the occasion and perform our ultimate duty as Christians – spreading the Gospel.”
Alex MooreAlex Moore is a junior from Spanish Fort, Ala.
“I remember Landon Adams, the assistant BSU director, called me into his office and asked me if I was interested in doing summer missions. I told him that I was thinking about it, but I hadn’t really decided one way or the other,” Moore said.
“He said he had been reading about summer mission opportunities. He said he had never looked at a position and thought, right away, that he knew who would be a perfect fit until he read about this position and thought of me.”
That’s how Moore found himself in Orlando, Fla. He has a new understanding of what it is like to be a worship pastor, which he wants to pursue in the future.
“A lot of what I am doing down here is leading worship in churches. I’ve been able to learn what that is going to look like,” Moore said.
“It has been a really good experience. I have lots of opportunity to grow in my faith. It taught me to trust in the Lord. He knows what he is doing. When I am tired and when I don’t want to do anything, He has a plan and He will give me the strength I need to continue what I have to get done.”
Beth GirmaBeth Girma is a recent graduate of WCU from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“At first I wanted to do a missions trip for selfish reasons. I was looking for something to do in the summer,” Girma said.
“But the more I prayed about it and got closer to God throughout this process, I felt like this is something that I wasn’t deciding on my own. It is God putting all of this together and I decided to follow His will.”
Girma was posted in Clarkston, Ga.: “I love it so much. I can’t imagine being anywhere else this summer. I have learned so much. I had no part to play in this. It was all God. I gained more trust in Him and I’m able share the Gospel better. I have the desire to share it. The community is amazing.”
She is the daughter of missionary parents. “See, the thing about being a missionary kid is, when I first applied for this I was very arrogant. I assumed that I already knew what to do – which wasn’t the case at all. I became humbled throughout the summer.”
Other missionsWCU’s Baptist Student Union sponsored a total of six student missionaries in the U.S. and abroad. Other student missionaries served in:
- Julie Jackson, New Orleans, La.
- Tra’Kevious Thompson, Arlington, Texas
- Brooke Riley, Southeast Asia
Edidiong Essien is a senior mass communications major who completed a practicum this summer in the Media Relations & Marketing office.
