Desperate locations around the globe are calling for help, and University students are answering.
Mission trips sponsored by numerous organizations have made it possible for students to put their time and effort into worthwhile causes while gaining the experience of a lifetime.
The Rev. Andrew Merrick of Christ the King Parish and Catholic Center recently returned from a mission trip to Costa Rica with a group of University students.
“The biggest aspect of who we are is being able to give and receive love,” he said.
“Numerous aspects of [mission trips] are beneficial to students. They experience different people, different cultures and also see the needs that people have.”
Merrick said the trips help separate people from American culture, which he said is “rooted in superficial relationships.”
The recent Costa Rica trip was comprised of 22 missionaries, including biology senior Philip Fontenot.
Fontenot said he jumped on the mission trip bandwagon because he heard of many University students and friends who had participated in the trips and wanted to experience one for himself.
“I needed something new in my life,” he said. “I was like, ‘This is an awesome opportunity. I have to take it.’ I just wanted to help and serve others.”
Fontenot said more and more students are opting to go on mission trips.
“People are hearing about it. They’re saying, ‘If they can do it, I can do it.’ It’s rubbing off,” he said.
Students should try to experience at least one mission trip in their college careers, Fontenot said.
“People should do more with their lives,” he said. “We need to take more chances with life and just break away from normal routines.”
Collin Melancon, international studies senior, kick-started his own mission trip to Mexico through the Greek system and Christ the King.
“I’d mentioned [starting up a mission trip] to my friends before and a lot of them had never heard of anything like it,” Melancon said. “But there were lots of really giving guys and girls who wanted to bring that attitude outside of LSU and outside of Louisiana and make a big impact.”
Melancon said the groups he organizes take on Catholic mission trips, but there are many non-denominational trips through other organizations available to students. They just have
to seek them out.
“Anybody can start a mission trip. It’s a great way to share yourself and share your faith by love,” Melancon said. “When you don’t speak the language, you go somewhere like Mexico unsure, out of your element, and the main language is love. Your actions speak to the people, and in return, they show their love for you.”
Melancon said mission trips are becoming more popular because of the student desire to go out into the world and do something rewarding.
“I actually believe that students want something fulfilling that they can’t get out of partying at the beach for spring break or sitting around over Christmas,” he said. “That’s why more and more people want to help out, serve and get something out of it. We’re growing older now, and partying doesn’t do it.”
Melancon said he’s seen students go on mission trips saying they won’t get anything out of them and leave with entirely new perspectives on life.
“[Mission trips] change you,” he said. “You give of yourself to these people, and you get so much more out of it in return.”
Lane Anzalone, biological engineering senior, said the most memorable part of the Greek mission he attended in Mexico was working with the local children.
“The kids were really awesome. They’d see us drive up, and they’d just start running,” Anzalone said. “One minute, there’d be an empty playground, and all of a sudden, like 60 of them would come out of nowhere. They’d get so excited. We loved it. It was great.”
Anzalone said he had traveled often for leisure before, but this was the first time he had the opportunity to help out and now considers himself hooked.
“I think the reason I like it is because you get in a routine when you’re at home, and then you go [on a mission trip] and you see all these really poor people, and you pull out a baseball, and the kids look at you like you’re holding gold,” he said. “They appreciate things so much more.”
Anzalone said the experience is more than just a resume builder.
“You go out there, and it helps you put life into perspective,” he said. “Everyone should experience that. You do something not for yourself, and it just feels good.”