Jiana Manglicmot
Harding University’s Spring Break Missions program has undergone significant changes for the 2024-2025 school year, including updates to its trip locations. The list of domestic trips includes Houston, Texas; Laconia, New Hampshire; and Tuba City, Arizona. Harding used to offer a mission trip in Searcy, Arkansas, but they cut the trip this year.
Senior Jenna Gaessler attended the Searcy mission trip during her freshman year.
“I stayed here in Searcy my freshman year because I didn’t have enough money to go home and gas was really expensive at the time,” Gaessler said. “It was only $50 to stay here for the week and it was an easy jump into the water of Spring Break Missions. I had an absolute blast with the people who led it. I also learned a lot about Searcy and the services it provides for the community.”
Gaessler attended a different spring break mission trip each year she had been a student. She said she noticed the shift in the available options.
“The trip locations have pretty much stayed the same every year that I’ve gone, except for this year,” Gaessler said. “Actually, all three trips that I’ve been on are no longer options.”
In recent years, Harding students would take a spring break mission trip group to Kayenta, Arizona. Associate director of spring break missions Joy Tittle was aware that a group of students from another university was already scheduled to work with the church in Kayenta during Harding’s newly scheduled spring break week.
“Instead of going to Kayenta, we’re going to Tuba City,” Tittle said. “Harding students went to Tuba City before the COVID-19 Pandemic, so we already have a history and established relationships there. It was a good, easy transition back to a place we’ve already been.”
Tittle said another change to the trip was the flight cost.
“With our spring break aligning with the breaks of many other schools, we have seen the cost of flights significantly increase,” Tittle said. “This year, we will be flying out of Memphis instead of Little Rock in order to stay within budget.””
One of the most significant changes to the spring break missions program was a change made to the offered international trips. Instead of having three international Spring Break trips, there are only two: Cozumel, Mexico and Jinotega, Nicaragua.
“I think the hardest change to Spring Break Mission trips is that we’re not able to go to the City of Children in Ensenada, Mexico this year,” Tittle said. “They already have a group that was scheduled for the week of our spring break. There’s a longstanding Harding tradition of bringing a group of students there, but we hope that we’ll be able to return there in the future.”
Recent events at the City of Children campus affected the decision to pause the trip this year. Many students who attended the City of Children trip have opted to go on the Cozumel, Mexico trip instead. As a result, this trip filled up quickly, with 25 students making up the team.
Senior Avery Nicks, who is one of the leaders of the Cozumel trip this year, explained the significance of the trip.
“It’s inspiring to see everyone on our team is giving up their entire spring break to do God’s work,” Nicks said. “I think a big fear of mine before I ever went on a spring break mission trip was that I didn’t want to give up a week of rest and be with my family. I realized that when you’re serving alongside brothers and sisters that want to help, you are restored and renewed. You feel like you got replenished in a different way than you would have if you were just at home. It’s life-changing.”
With new locations and opportunities on the horizon, the University’s spring break missions program is set to continue its legacy of supporting students with a love and passion for service and outreach.
