Oral Roberts University - Perihelion Yearbook (Tulsa, OK)

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u it Q if Jim Koon and Lonnie Lanferman pray over one of the many poverty-stricken children of Zaire. Danita Dalton meets with some unusual charac- ters while on missions to London, England. Mis- sions sometimes can be quite a culture shock! 5 9 in u...n 7' Summer Missions 11

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ll Lifelong Experience by Lecia Gaulding Mission: a sending out or being sent outwith authority to perform a special duty for Christ. Outreach: To reach farther, surpass: to reach out, extend. fTaken from the ORU Sum- mer Missions Manualj Being a member of an ORU Summer Mis- sions Outreach team changes one's life long before arriving in the mission country and long after returning to the United States. The changes begin in January after being selected to be on a team. Suddenly, the already busy student finds himself with an extra load of weekly missions meetings with all of the summer missions teams and with weekly meetings with his own team, with an additional burden of reading assignments in books and writing asssignments in reports, and finally with the task of raising his financial support. But these extras are not really bur- dens forthere is an excitement in preparing for the summer's work. Flobert Summerer tNor- way, 19833 reflected on his thoughts prior to leaving for missions: There was an anticipa- tion of doing something that was perhaps a bit out of my character, and of course, there was the realization that I would be affecting others' lives in ways that I never dreamed possiblef' Doing things a bit out of one's character seems to be quite common for our ORU stu- dents once they are actually in the mission country. Two Norway team members, Lecia Gaulding and Robert Summerer, twho traveled with a Norwegian tent evangelistj found themselves doing everything from rais- ing a three pole circus-like tent which seated one thousand people, to speaking on a public radio program reaching out to the youth of Oslo, the capital of Norway. Summer missions work, because it is so varied and because the needs are so great, requires the ORU student to utilize his full potential spiritually, mentally, and physically. Many friendships are cultivated during missions. Lecia Gaulding hugs one of the many friends she made during her stay in Norway. 10 Summer Missions Equally, the realization of affecting the lives of others in ways one never dreamed possible seems to be a common experience among summer missions participants. The Zaire team worked with people whose pover- ty demanded that ministry be to the physical body. The Amsterdam team reached out to hard, but hurting, youth in the punk rock scene on the streets where ministry must somehow break through the walls and chains to touch the heart and spirit. The Nor- way team presented the Gospel to a people blinded by religious pride where effective ministry demanded that others see the life- changing reality of Christ in the ORU stu- dents' life. Missions students return with different comments and reactions to life in America. Some respond with joy to the familiarity of pizza and television, while others react with At a radio station in Oslo, Norway, these Norwe- gians are broadcasting to the youth in their country.

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symptoms of culture shock to the fast-paced materialistic society in this country. But all re- turn in some way changed. Shoshanna Dunteman fGermany, 19823 commented on the difference in her life since her missions trip two years ago. l'Actually seeing the Iron Cur- tain, the military zone between East and West Germany, made it so much more real to me. People are born into an enslaved country. They are persecuted for being Christians. I never recovered from seeing this sight, I don't think that I ever will. I am so thankful for my freedom, and I want to utilize it in being more bold for the Lord. The ORU Summer Mis- sions manual summarizes well the missions encounter: ln light of these experiences, students invariably return with a new im- petus for growth and a new sense of purpose and usefulness in life. In short, as better stu- dents and better Christians. Not all mis- sions students return to ministry in the far corners of the world, but most return better equipped to minister to the neighbor on the corner of their block in their town back home. Going on missions is an experience I one can forget. The joy of sharing Jesus wi people of different cultures and languages exciting. A special bond develops betwee people both on the mission team and with tl people met in various countries. Mission many times, opens the eyes of those who g to the desperate need of other countries know Jesus. A summer spent on missions an invaluable experience. One that is remer bered by laughter and tears. ORU student RoryZCIark shares the love of Jesus I some children in aire. V V , V V,VV ,V S, 12 Summer Missions