CAITLIN WHITE
Assistant Living Editor
While many students are contemplating homework, classes, or what to do with their three-day weekend, a select few are preparing to put their carpentry skills to the test, and construct a house in a mere three days. Today, a group of 50 Pepperdine students along with several advisors will embark on a mission trip to San Felipe, Mexico, to build a house for a family living in poverty.
University Church of Christ has been involved with this particular Church of Christ for more than 10 years, as pursuit of connections established years ago by Pepperdine alumnus and former professor William Stivers, who died in December 2004. Senior Heather Scott, a Campus Ministry’s service intern, said the trip’s history has a lot to do with Stivers’ dedication to the church.
“Pepperdine has had a relationship with the San Felipe Church of Christ for quite a while, and it has really stemmed from Professor Stiver’s connections and the passion he had for the people down there,” Scott said.
Sophomore Staci Stivers said she is excited to go on the trip, because Stivers was her grandfather and San Felipe always meant so much to him.
“I found that this is a great way to serve, and it is definitely close to my heart,” Stivers said. “We stay at a camp that was funded and put together by my grandpa, and there is a painting of him in the kitchen, so I always go in there and look at it.”
Pepperdine sends a group to San Felipe every semester to build a house for a family in need. The San Felipe Church of Christ chooses a family that they feel desperately needs housing and students go down for a weekend to construct one.
“This is a great opportunity for a service project, because you physically see the act of service taking shape around you,” Scott said, “I think service is a really important part of spirituality and our faith.”
The building process is split into two weekends. On the first weekend, a small team goes down to Mexico on Friday night, and spends all of Saturday laying the foundation for the house.
Last weekend a group did just that, and junior Ron Ledetti, the other Campus Ministry service intern, got the chance to attend for the second time.
“I’ve gone on the foundation laying trip before during my freshman year, but not the actual build weekend, so I am excited for this trip,” Ledetti said, “I was in Buenos Aires last year so I didn’t get a chance to go until now.”
The spring trip down to Mexico is during Spring Break, and falls under the Project Serve. Any Pepperdine student is welcome to go on either trip and being involved in Campus Ministry is not a pre-requisite.
“We usually announce it at Wednesday Night Worship so it is usually people who attend that know, but we also like to get out flyers and make posters to spread the word,” Ledetti said.
To go on the trip, students must sign up, and pay a $35 fee. Besides that, students also split the cost of gas for the eight-hour van ride between themselves and are responsible for their own souvenirs.
The cost is very low for student volunteers, because the University Church pays for most of the major costs.
“Throughout the year, the University Church collects donations through their benevolence fund, that is where the majority of the money comes from, Ledetti said, “for the materials, getting down there and things like that.”
While in Mexico, students have the chance, not just to build the house, but to interact with the people of San Felipe. There is also children’s camp for the many kids in the area that was established by Pepperdine. It is named Camp Stivers, (after William), and many university groups work closely with it, whether working at camps there, or fixing things up around the site.
Pepperdine isn’t the only group that sends students to San Felipe. The Conejo Valley Church of Christ also sends a group of kids down every summer.
“Through my youth group was actually the first way I went to San Felipe. And it wasn’t originally named after my grandpa, but it is so cool to go down there now and stay in a place named Campo de Stivers,” Stivers said.
“But going every year is something I really enjoy doing, I love serving there because I know that it did mean so much to my grandpa, it helps me feel like I have a connection not just with the Mexican people, but to him as well.”
Through the camp that has been established, the group is able to form relationships with the residents of the town, they have a peek into the culture, and can relate to the local people.
“We usually have a party for the kids while we are there,” Scott said, “where we introduce them to basic Bible stories, let them do a craft and just have fun.”
“We also go out into the community and hand out food, and we tell them we’re here with the Church of Christ, so they know that the motivation for our serving comes from our Christianity.”
This weekend, Pepperdine students get the chance to fulfill Pepperdine’s dedication to service, participate in a slice of Pepperdine history, and experience other cultures.
If you are interested in becoming involved in Campus Ministry or other San Felipe trips, contact Heather Scott at heather.m.scott@pepperdine.edu.
10-04-2007