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Corban commissions students to Peru for Spring Break
By Sarah Doughty
Freelance Writer
Despite some difficulties along the way, 19 students are headed to Peru over spring break to help out at an orphanage, work with a youth group and assist with a building project.
The Peru team is one of the five teams that will be leaving for mission trips over spring break: The L.A. team, led by Zach Jackson; the Mexico team, led by Max Holden; the Utah team, led by David Collett and Katie Westerberg; the Italy team, led by Nakiva Cleveland; and the Peru team, led by Stephanie Garrick.
For Garrick, this is her third year going to Peru, but her first year leading the trip.
Mission trips don’t just come together—they require planning, able bodies, money, and logistical support. In past years, some of the difficulties included getting things up and running, working out kinks and trying to make a significant, positive impact.
“The biggest struggle [this year] is planning,” Garrick said. “A big thing has been communication with people in Peru, with our team—getting people to give up and work together. Communication has been very very difficult.”
The team started planning for this mission trip back in September.
“It has been a roller coaster ride—from these moments of victory to these plummeting roller coaster drops where there’s no way I can get out of this pile of what needs to be done,” Garrick said.
The Peru team hit an unexpected snag when the faculty member who had planned on accompanying the team bailed just before the group had to turn in a final deposit. Lindsey Aikin’s mother, Mariane Aikin, is now filling that void. She is a special needs assessor for students and will be helping at the orphanage’s school, which helps children with learning disabilities.
Although some of the mission trips leaving from Corban are short in funding, the Peru team has been blessed monetarily.
The total cost for the trip is $31,000, with $23,000 going to plane tickets for team members. The Peru team has done several fundraisers including Baja Fresh, Krispy Kreme, a two-week pop-can pick-up, and Coldstone Creamery. Seventy percent of the funding for this trip came from individuals, churches and family members.
When asked to weigh the difference between the gift of $31,000 and the benefit of this mission trip, Garrick said, “If you look at it as a monetary trip alone, there is no comparison when it comes to supplies that they could get; $31,000 can do so much.
“They wouldn’t understand the purpose of the money [if it was just the money]. With this trip and this money, we bring donations—clothing, money, blankets, food, books—we bring that; we bring ourselves. Not only are they receiving stuff, but they’re seeing adults, young people, fervent in God, fervent in growing in Christ and encouraging them to do the same thing.”
Garrick mentioned her goal of leaving a mark in Peru several times and mentioned the team’s verse, Isaiah 64:8.
“I chose that verse because I wanted a steady reminder that nothing we’re doing is of us, or anything that we do, or any time or effort that we do. It’s of God’s hand moving among hearts,” she said.
