Our Spring Break trip was a blast! Seven of us piled in a van and drove to South Carolina. On the road, we stopped at a waterfall in Kentucky, called "The Niagara of the South.” It was nice, but Niagara was a generous description. We took a little detour and drove through Smokey Mountain National Park and had a picnic overlooking a picturesque foggy valley. We played every car game imaginable and finally arrived at our destination. In South Carolina, we did service work on Pine Drive Gospel Church, tried laying out on the beach as sand blew in our faces, played mini golf, and spent an afternoon walking around Charleston. All these activities were great and helped us to bond, but the best parts of the trip were the many conversations over the week.
There were many organic conversations where people shared about their families, what they like to do, where they were in their relationship with God, and questions they had. We also had more structured conversation times. Our trip fell on Holy Week. So, in the morning, we read and studied verses on Jesus’ journey to the cross and in the evening, we discussed articles that gave us an in-depth view of the events unfolding. We started with his entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and were home by Good Friday to celebrate Easter with our families. During the week, we were humbled by Jesus’ devotion to the Father in the midst of unimaginable difficulty and by our lack of devotion in times of hardship. We saw that is why Jesus needed to go to the cross. It was for people like us who do not love God the way we should.
On this trip, we experienced God’s majesty as we witnessed the vastness of our country, the beauty of the Smokey Mountains, the expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, and the joy of being in community. However, the greatest display was looking at Jesus and the work he did for us on the cross.
Hoping you experienced Christ deeper this Easter!
Larry Martini
Campus Outreach Minneapolis
University of St. Thomas Staff