As part of Mission Week 2024, TWU students and staff stepped up to demonstrate care to others in the community.
Students formed teams and, on Saturday, Nov. 23, fanned out to serve others on campus and in neighbourhoods around Langley. The initiative is a partnership between the Global Engagement Office's Local Outreach Team and the Graduate Student Association. TWU's Global Engagement Office runs local and global outreach projects, as well as many other service-learning opportunities for students.
Joy in serving
Sarah Grace Wiedenheft sees serving others as a way of living out her faith. She enjoyed volunteering alongside her peers and commented, “I learned how much joy I find in serving others.”
Shervin Ghahrisaremi also loves to serve, reflecting that seeing people smile and be encouraged brings great joy. Shervin saw how serving can be a way of “taking actions to share the Gospel with people, not only through words but also with actions.”
Care through creativity
One group expressed generosity through creativity. Joining with Big Brothers Big Sisters Langley, students helped to make Christmas cards alongside kids and their mentors, in support of the mentorship program that this organization offers. Annah Kuehl said that writing cards for people brought her joy. “I learned how much a little can go and how much of an impact a few hours on a Saturday can make.”
Abigail Faust wanted to show God’s love to others through the simple act of making cards. “I learned that when working with a team, you can get things done much faster! God calls us to unity!”
Raising funds, sharing encouragement
Other students ventured to downtown Langley to help raise funds for vulnerable children and families. They volunteered with the Salvation Army’s Kettle Campaign, which seeks to help raise money for toys and food to benefit needy families.
Another team encouraged their peers who were facing assignments and exams by handing out hot chocolate on the Langley campus. In addition to a warm cup of cheer, students offered big smiles and hearty greetings.
Volunteering outside at A Rocha, a Christian environmental stewardship organization, students planted trees, removed invasive plant species, and helped in the restoration of the local watershed of South Surrey.
Through further generous acts of kindness, students sought out small ways to uplift others. They gave out gifts of Christmas candies, helped pick up garbage on Langley’s Glover Road, and spoke words of encouragement to students around campus.
Acts of kindness
Partnering with Surrey Urban Mission, one team assembled care packages for those living in homelessness.
Amy Gerreyn said, “I wanted to be able to give back to the community, and I believe that volunteering to help make care packages supports that. Knowing that these packages will go to people who really need it gives me a sense of joy.”
She continues, “Volunteering...is something I want to continue doing and learning more about the community and people and how I can be of help.”
Kate Gerreyn also desired to serve people, even through small acts like writing Bible verses to put inside the care packages. She commented that “small actions we do can greatly impact people in need.”
Multiplying impact through teamwork
Together, over 35 people were involved, contributing over 140 hours of volunteering to serve the community.
Vishwadeep Jadeja enjoyed working together with friends, seeing the creativity of people, and learning about the values of Christmas. Jisha Nazhiyampara, who brought a passion to serve Jesus through volunteering, commented, “I enjoyed the time I spent with my group making crafts.” Jisha sees it as a way to serve people as Jesus did.
About TWU's Global Engagement Office
The Global Engagement Office (GEO) houses co-curricular programming that highlights international connections present on our campuses as well as connections to short-term experiential service-learning opportunities around the world. Learn more at TWU's Global Engagement Office.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has campuses in Canada in Langley, Richmond, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn. For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.