Southwestern Assemblies of God University's (SAGU) Mission TEN initiative sent students to 21 countries and 9 U.S. States this summer; staying on track to reach every nation, Indian Province and Chinese State by 2020.
Travel Coordinator Joshua Evans said, "It's a privilege to coordinate these teams. These Mission TEN teams have pushed through their fears in order to experience what Jesus has planned for them." He continued, "These trips are a good way to open your eyes to a bigger world than the one you might come from."
This summer teams traveled to the following destinations:
- Antigua and Barbuda – Team members helped with children’s ministry.
- Zimbabwe – Team members worked on construction projects and evangelized.
- Lesotho – Team members performed children’s ministry, helped in schools and evangelized.
- Angola – SAGU men's basketball team was hosted by the Angolan Government to participate in a professional tournament. While there, team members ministered to local youth and basketball teams while giving out Portuguese Bibles.
- Kerala – Team members worked in villages to discover ways to establish local business to help increase the standard of living, create jobs and improve the local economy.
- Samoa – Team members planted churches, encouraged local pastors and ministered to the youth.
- Greenland – Team members worked with local pastors teaching them dramas and ways to reach the youth. They also worked with radio ministries and the Salvation Army.
- Mozambique – Team members worked with orphans and conducted outreaches to children. They also spoke to a college class, attended Bible studies and played soccer with local children.
- Togo – Team members distributed the Book of Hope and remodeled classrooms.
- Canada – Team members worked in Toronto and worked with youth.
- Guyana & U.S. – Team members worked in areas infested with Malaria and conducted church training with the locals.
- Austria – Team members conducted youth camps in the Alps.
- Vanuatu – Team members completed a 100-mile hike up mountains around Vanuatu carrying all their belongings on their back to work with unreached people groups.
- Taiwan – Team members spent four weeks hosting 7-10 services each day during a children's crusade.
- Palau – Team members connected with local missionary families to minister to local children.
- East Timor – Team members focused on unreached people groups and youth ministry.
- South Korea – Team members had the opportunity to stand on the border of North Korea and pray for God to open doors to reach the North Korean people.
- Portugal – The team did street ministry in the North and the South and worked with Gypsies.
- Suriname – Team members went into the jungle and worked with the Saramaccan tribal groups. They visited four tribes and focused on non-verbal children's ministry.
Office Coordinator Rennae de Freitas said, "MTEN is not just something we do in the summer. We start in October and the students meet throughout the year and depart for their trips in the summer. Then they come back and we ask them, 'How does this trip change the way you see the world and the way you do ministry in your own local church?'"
Harold Suggs, host missionary from the Guyana trip, said, "SAGU can be very proud that the student team leaders they are deploying are well organized, work together, endure difficult situations with a smile, present a solid witness for Jesus Christ and work in harmony with the local missionaries."
After enduring a 400-mile trip by foot and boat through jungle-rivers, sleeping in hammocks, using outside toilets and bathing in the river or with a bucket, Guyana team leader Aneesa Royce said, "This trip challenged and pushed me to places I never thought I could go. God has put a deeper confidence in me as a servant leader.”
Guyana Team member Daytrian Henson said, “It was a growing experience and completely worth the time and money.”
Some Mission TEN teams also ministered state-side in Massachusetts, Colorado, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, New Mexico and Mississippi.
