Malone students and faculty embark on service learning trips to Brazil, Kenya, and Romania

For some members of the Malone community, summer started with international travel to Brazil, Kenya, and Romania for new cultural experiences and practical service on behalf of Christ’s Kingdom. 

“Our goal in designing these programs is to emphasize the importance of cross-cultural experiences that engage with people from local culture,” said Elizabeth Roe, Ph.D., director of the Center for Intercultural Studies. “In so doing, students can experience first-hand how global partnerships can– and should– support, encourage, and empower the local community and its leadership.”  

Brazil

“As a triple citizen (of heaven, the U.S.A., and Brazil), I enjoyed tagging along with our Malone team, serving as a two-way cultural and language translator for both them and our dear host friends at Igreja Presbiteriana da Penha, in São Paulo,” said Ebenezer de Oliveira, Ph.D., professor of psychology. “I loved preaching at the host church, and also the chance to tour and interact with the residents of the church's drug rehabilitation center, and with children and adolescents in the Piratininga slum. Also, I can never forget introducing our team to the 'sanduíche americano' (American sandwich)-- one you will never find in the USA. That was a great experience as well.” 

“This trip to Brazil has opened my eyes to gaining a new appreciation of Brazilian culture and how beautiful God’s creation truly is,” said Adrianna Raygoza ʾ26. “Brazilian culture is marked by their hospitality and showing love to others, even to those they have never met. The gift of hospitality that was shown to me throughout the trip is something that I want to grow in. And as an education major, I look forward to utilizing new strategies I learned in Brazil in my future classroom. They are different from what is found in traditional American schools and would be beneficial to our students.”

Kenya 

“This year, our trip to Kenya took a different turn,” said Jay Case, Ph.D., professor of history. “One week before we arrived, a massive mudslide roared through the town of Maai Mahiu, sweeping away houses and the lives of citizens that perished in the tragedy. We knew that the staff members of Rift Valley Hope (RVH) Ministries had to use extra time and energy to host us and, given the tragedy, we were concerned that we would be too much of a burden for them. However, we discovered when we got there that the staff was worried we would not come because of the mudslide. It’s interesting to witness the culture of American Christians and how we tend to think of service as ‘doing’ things, whereas African Christians have great insight into the importance of ‘presence’ as service — cultivating relationships. And it is true that each trip we have taken to RVH, they regularly say that they ‘hope we will come back to see them again,’ because that is what friends do.” 

“This experience helped me understand the greatness of God’s kingdom,” said Cassandra Leibengood ʼ24. “After witnessing the faith, and listening to the stories, of people who lost their homes from the night of the landslide, I was reminded that I have so much to learn from others worldwide who can help me understand the greatness of God’s love more fully.”

Romania 

“For two and a half weeks, our students lived with local host families in the medieval city of Sighisoara, Romania,” said Elizabeth Roe, Ph.D., professor of social work. “While learning about local history and culture, we served alongside Romanian leaders and their ongoing programs. Students were also able to share their testimonies and learn from the stories of their new Romanian friends and acquaintances. On the first Sunday, our students got to experience a local Romanian church, then were asked to share their giftings with the church. Two of our students even preached in a Sunday morning service and others were able to lead worship.”

“There were a couple of things that I took away from my experience, but I think the main one is how beautiful diversity of culture, race, and thought are,” said Joshua Alvey ʼ27. “I got to see firsthand how people are made in the image of God and how, although we may be different, we have more in common than we might think. I also gained valuable wisdom and skills in navigating language barriers while working with students to help prepare me for my future as an educator. It also challenged me to continue to grow and deepen my relationship with God and helped to refocus my perspective to an eternal and global faith.”