The main reason you should go on the MOAM mission trip is because you will have a brand new perspective on life. Being around these kids will make you realize what truly matters in this world and what doesn't. You might be more connected than ever with what’s happening around the US, but have you seen what it’s like to live below the poverty line in small-town Africa? Getting away from our daily lives helps a person understand that the world is larger than what people make it out to be. By beginning to understand another setting and culture, our own context comes into truer focus. In the Rafiki villages there are no distractions from the kids getting closer to God. From the morning they get out of bed to when they go to sleep, they are constantly praising God. It amazed me to hear what some of the kids have been through in their lives, but never cease to have a smile on their face.Going on this MOAM trip will not only change these kids lives but yours forever.
Justin Kelly, 2014 MOAM Mini Missionary, Mississippi State University, Class of 2015 |
One of the top reasons I would go on a Mission's Trip with MOAM, is that it helps you grow in a leadership role. As a team manager, you primarily function in a servant hood role, where you participate in a busy detailed oriented occupation, in order to help a greater cause, which is in regards to the improved success of the intercollegiate athletic team operation. As a team manager however, I never really got the opportunity to grow as a leader because I was always involved behind the scenes.
However on my MOAM trip, I was able to lead several devotionals, teach Soccer to about 100 Children, and really see the Lord help me grow in my communication skills, confidence, lesson planning, and instructional skills. These are all important skills to acquire in the future when I am in the workplace, and in my daily life. I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to gain these skills, because without this MOAM trip, who knows if I would have ever had the opportunity, to learn and acquire them. Michael Carpenter, 2014 MOAM Mini Missionary 2014, University of Virginia, Class of 2014 |
My number one reason for encouraging you to apply for the MOAM Mini Mission Trip is that you receive a unique opportunity to use your skills as a student manager to further the kingdom of the Lord. From a firsthand perspective, the kids look up to the missionaries as role models and they basically think you are all the coolest people alive. They want to know everything about you and it gives you an amazing platform to further the kingdom of God. By incorporating the word of God into sports, it gives them a way to physically live out their faith. The kids in the village have Jesus as the center of their lives and giving them a positive outlet through sports while still adding in that Godly aspect is something that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. It is quite a shift from your role as a manager: from behind the scenes to the direct spotlight, but it is definitely a welcome audience and your words are well-received. It is also an opportunity for you to listen to the words you are sharing and the words of the other managers and use them to impact your own life and bring it home to impact the lives of those around you. Being able to make an impact on these kids is just a small contribution but is a step toward changing the world a little bit at a time. And if you open your heart, I promise the kids won’t be the only ones who are blessed.
Meredith Holder, 2014 MOAM Mini Missionary, Wake Forest University, Class of 2014 |