Harding students have a long history of opting out of typical spring break plans to instead embark on journeys that lead them to impoverished dirt-road communities in foreign countries and under-developed urban areas in the U.S.

Junior Katie Mitchell will travel to the City of Children in Ensenada, Mexico, for the fourth time and her third spring break trip. Mitchell said that sometimes the reward is greater than expected.

“As many times as I have been on this trip, I continually hope to bring them comfort and a promise of Jesus, but they always seem to return that promise and comfort,” Mitchell said. “I always feel more blessed than I think I have blessed them.”

The City of Children takes in children from broken homes and bad situations. The team will spend their time building relationships with the children while hosting a VBS. The 42-person team will also do relief work in a small village outside of the city called El Zorillo.

Foreign mission trips are not the only ones offered by the Spring Break Missions Office. Nine of the 18 spring break mission trips this year are domestic campaigns, including one to Arlington Church of Christ in Knoxville, Tenn.

“I would much rather get out and serve and do good things instead of sitting at home watching Netflix,” sophomore Kendall Wallace said.

The Knoxville team will work on tasks that include packing and handing out food to the homeless.

“I hope to bring a little joy while also getting to know their lives and the struggles they face every day,” Wallace said.

Spring break missions are sometimes met with skepticism because of the short length of trips. Mitchell believes that people should go regardless.

“Jesus will rejoice with us no matter the length of the mission,” Mitchell said.