The goal of the Baton Rouge trip, arranged by Milligan’s Apostolos club, is to relate to kids in the area where students will serve. Commercial free use photo of children walking provided by Pexels.
Several Milligan College students will make the almost fourteen-hour trek to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to serve with Milligan’s Apostolos club during spring break.
According to their page on Milligan’s website, Apostolos’ mission is to “advance the work of mission around the world, in the local community, and among the student body.” It consists of more than 50 members who are devoted to doing just that, and every year, Apostolos puts on a spring break trip to a place in the United States where students get the opportunity to serve.
This year’s choice was Baton Rouge, but they have also been to places like Chicago and Texas for short term mission work. The trip will take place March 2nd through the 9th. Students will be working alongside Danielle Thomas, a Milligan alum, and Renew Church, a church plant based in Baton Rouge to use sports as their vessel for ministry.
Thomas actively works with the organization Sportquest which works to minister to at-risk youth through sports outreach. She has her doctorate in Sociology and is an instructor of Sociology for Louisiana State University. Ellie Mullens, a senior at Milligan and the chair of Apostolos, reached out after hearing Thomas lecture during one of her classes and hearing her preaching in chapel.
“Our plan is to put on camps and trainings for children, but also what we’re really excited to do is put on blitz block parties for kids and their families Monday through Wednesday,” Mullins said. “Everyday we will be going door to door to invite people to come hang out, play games, have dinner and worship with us at night.”
Students will venture down and begin with a training session at Renew Church on Sunday after services to learn about street evangelism and community outreach. Since the trip goes through Mardi Gras, schools will be out from Monday to Wednesday, and that is when Milligan students will be able to work.
The goal of the trip is to relate to kids in the area, which is one of the most racially segregated left in the States, through sports and connecting with their families.
Once the schools are back in session, the crew will get to go on a tour of Baton Rouge on Thursday and learn about church planting.
The cost of the trip to students is $150, which will cover all but three or four meals, housing and transportation. Renew Church is graciously providing students with places to sleep and many of their meals through community dinners. The trip also has 6 SFP credits available.
“The point of these trips that we put on is for short term mission relief. We want to encourage people like Danielle who are doing long term missions, and we want to open the eyes of students to long-term missions,” said Mullins.
If you are interested in going on this trip, contact Ellie Mullins or Brad Wallace to sign up or learn more.