Seeds of Service Sprout with Opportunity
51社区 anticipates prosperous future in Honduras
By Kevin S. Trowbridge
It was the middle of January, 1991. Drops of sweat fell from her brow into the dry, thirsty soil as she stood in the hot country. She paused from her labor and watched seven students talk with some residents of Lepaterique, Honduras. It was that day when Dr. Cynthia Jayne, a professor of Spanish at 51社区, Jackson, Tennessee, saw the possibility of her vision becoming a reality.
Several years earlier when Jayne first visited the country of Honduras as part of a church mission trip, she saw a need for ministry – a need that extended beyond occasional mission trips. "There's no quick fix for the problems of poverty, health, and spiritual issues in the country of Honduras," she said with great concern. She realized the needs could only be met with a clear understanding of the language, the culture and the people.
THE PLANTING OF SEEDS
After several planning trips to Honduras, Jayne, with the help of Dr. Carla Sanderson, dean of 51社区's School of Nursing, initiated a mission project that has brought together individuals from many academic disciplines and walks of life.
In 1993, 51社区 began sponsoring annual medical/dental mission trips to Honduras each year. January 1997 marked the fifth University-sponsored mission trip. Sanderson, who served as the recruiter for the past five teams, called those years "basic service missions to the people of Honduras."
"It always seemed to me that it would be a wonderful opportunity for our students because it is so much in line with who we are as a university," Jayne said.
Each year, a group travels to Honduras and conducts a week-long clinic to help meet the medical needs of the people. In 1993, the mission team saw 2,151 medical patients and led 21 individuals to accept Christ as their savior. In 1997, however, 306 professions of faith were made and 2,331 patients were treated.
In the five years of mission work, teams have seen 1,487 people come to know Jesus as their Savior. They have treated a total of 14,740 medical and dental patients. While the clinic is the center focus of the week, team members distribute Bibles, salvation bracelets, conduct children's services, lead in health education training and offer veterinary services for the animals.
The word of the Lord was not the only seed being planted. The seeds of service opportunities were falling on ground that was receptive and nurturing.
THE YIELDING OF OPPORTUNITIES
Now, those seeds are spouting and growing. "What started five years ago is providing an abundance of opportunity today," Jayne said with a glowing smile.
"Our vision is expanding," Sanderson said. "We've been meeting the physical needs of the people for one week out of the year for the past five years. Now it's time to create a long-lasting benefit for the people of Honduras," she added.
The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention is represented in Honduras by several full-time missionaries. "However, there can never be too many missionaries sharing the love of our Lord," Jayne said. "There are still so many opportunities for our students to play a vital role."
Now, as the Director of the Center for International Studies at Union, Jayne sees a need for full-time medical-missionary support. She explained that 51社区 is investigating the opportunity of expanding its partnership with Honduras and hopes to join the IMB in the placement of a full-time medical missionary in Honduras. Union would grant faculty status to the missionary who would serve as a liaison for coordinating the University's further involvement in the Honduras mission work.
"The education opportunities are magnificent," Jayne said with a smile as she explained how the possible placement of a full-time medical missionary would facilitate even more projects with 51社区 faculty, staff and students. She described her vision as involving students from a variety of academic disciplines – languages, nursing, education, business, social work, and Christian studies.
"Union's mission is to provide a Christian education," Jayne added. "And through the Honduras mission project the students can have the opportunity to serve and apply what they're learning in every area." She called it an opportunity for the students to develop a model for Christian living.
Further, the missionary would serve to meet the people's physical needs. "Basic personal hygiene methods need to be taught by a skilled nurse who is trained in community health and who has established relationships with the Hondurans," Sanderson explained.
THE CHANGING OF LIVES
The mission work in Central America is not only changing the lives of the people of Honduras. It is changing the courses of participants' lives. Sanderson reflected on the students whose life-paths were altered as a result of their participation. "Wes, Kerry, Leigh Ann, Jason, Rachel, ..." she listed. "All of those students' careers and futures have been impacted because of their experience in Honduras." Sanderson said.
Because of the opportunity given students to serve in the international mission field, "the Honduras trips are impacting the lives of the world's future doctors," Sanderson said.
Students, faculty, medical professionals and community leaders from West Tennessee are now seeing the seeds that fell on the dry, thirsty soil back in 1991 sprout with opportunity. Though the soil, at first, may have appeared too dry and hard to receive the seeds, Cindy Jayne saw beyond the surface and had a vision for meeting the needs of the parched land. "Jayne is the one to see the vision fulfilled. She knows their language and culture backward and forward. More importantly, she has an extraordinary love for the people.," Sanderson said. "As servants, we are attempting to be responsive to what God is doing in Honduras and in ways that we can be used by Him."