The goal of the Office of Spiritual Life’s “Urban Excursion” is to “take it further.”
Part of California Baptist University’s Compassion Ministries, “Urban Excursion” is a ministry program that takes students into major urban centers in and outside of California, and partners them with existing ministries to help serve the residents of those areas.
Urban Excursion and Urban Plunge are two ministry options that OSL offers for students who are looking to get involved with local short term ministry.
“Urban Excursion gives me a chance, while I am at CBU, to go out and help the people that the Bible says to help,” Logan Cross, freshman, said.
Cross is a member of the Urban Excursion team that will travel to San Diego March 23-25.
“The Bible tells us that it is important to go out and feed the hungry and clothe the naked,and I wanted a chance to do that,” Cross said.
OSL will also be sponsoring another Urban Excursion trip March 9-14. This group will travel to San Francisco to work with existing ministries in that area.
Julie Dobbins, assistant director of chapel and Compassion Ministries, will be leading the San Francisco team.
The San Francisco trip takes place during spring break.
“Urban Excursion: San Francisco offers me the chance to spend my Spring Break doing what God wants, not just what I want,” Josefina Llanes, senior, said. “Instead of going on another vacation for myself I am doing something that will glorify God.”
The San Francisco team will be working in serving the poor and the elderly and they will also be sharing the Gospel with those they come in contact with.
There will also be prayer walking throughout the city for the duration of the trip.
“The trip will be worth it just to have a chance to help someone else get saved,” Llanes said.
“I know that a lot of what we do will be just listening to people’s stories and having conversation with the homeless,” Cross said. “That can be helpful. We will also most likely be handing out socks and clothing to help as well.”
Urban Excursion and Urban Plunge offer students an alternative to the more expensive and lengthier missions outlets on campus such as International Service Projects and United States Projects.
“Urban excursion is a great way to get students mobilized,” Cross said. “It is a way that the school can challenge students in their faith and give them a great opportunity to do what the Bible instructs them to do.”
More information on future Urban Excursion trips and other Compassion Ministries projects can be found at the Office of Spiritual Life.
