October 1, 2026
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — University of North Georgia Baptist Collegiate Ministries sent 82 students on mission during spring break this year, serving in six locations across the United States and overseas. Students on those trips said they saw God move in ways that left a lasting mark on those who heard the gospel and on the students who shared it.
According to campus minister Keith Wade, UNG BCM teams served in London, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Utah, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon. Across those trips, students engaged in nearly 300 one-on-one gospel conversations, saw 57 people make decisions to follow Christ, distributed more than 1,500 flyers and tracts, and partnered with 19 local churches.
“As we’ve heard the stories and testimonies from these trips, it’s evident that God was at work not only in the lives of those who heard the gospel, but also in the hearts of our students,” Wade said. “Many have returned with a deeper understanding of the truth found in Matthew 9:35-38 and a renewed passion for the harvest.”
The largest team traveled to Lima, Peru, where 32 students served in six teams alongside nine churches. Campus missionary Kaylie Morgan said the groups supported local congregations through church services, youth events, street evangelism, door-to-door outreach, and ministry in places such as a cancer hospital.
“God allowed us to see the fruit of continued labor in those areas with 55 professions of faith and countless connections with local churches who are now able to continue the ministry in those areas,” Morgan said.
Students also came away with personal stories they will not soon forget. Camryn McKay, a junior, said she shared her testimony with three girls her age who were struggling with many of the same things she had faced. By the end of the conversation, all three had placed their faith in Christ and connected with the local church.
“It was only through Him that I had the courage and strength to talk to these young ladies and it showed me when we are obedient to Him, blessings follow,” McKay said.
Freshman Abigail Barber said Peru exposed her own fears and then reminded her of God’s power. After a morning of repeated rejection during street evangelism, her team turned back toward the park where they had started and met a young woman sitting under a tree. After about an hour of conversation, the woman came to Christ and was connected to the church the team was serving.
“No matter how unprepared I may have felt, God can use those circumstances for His glory,” Barber said.
Another team served in the Dominican Republic in partnership with Yonah Community Church and a long-term mission partner there. Senior Claudia Russell said the team’s primary ministry was conducting character talks in schools, moving from classroom to classroom to share Bible stories and connect them to the gospel. The students also took part in sports ministry, Vacation Bible School, home visits, and encouragement for full-time missionaries.
Senior Tyler Moon said the trip showed him how much people in the Dominican Republic resembled people back home.
“This has made me realize that we need to be bolder in our faith,” Moon said. “We tend to disown Jesus when it starts to affect our own self-image.”
A team in Los Angeles partnered with LA City Baptist Church and several ministries serving in some of the city’s hardest places. Campus missionary Eli Goolsby said students served on Skid Row with Fred Jordan Mission and Union Rescue Mission, worked with MetroKidz in South Central Los Angeles, led Bible studies in an assisted living home, and took part in neighborhood ministry while encouraging the church family at LA City Baptist.
“The trip was not just a success in the week that we were there, but also hopefully even this summer and years to come,” Goolsby said. “My hope and prayer were this: that the team would have a heart for ministry, living missionally, and understanding that there are so many with so little.”
He added that eight students are now considering returning to Los Angeles this summer to serve for six weeks.
Sophomore Bel Pulliam, who is one of those eight, said the trip changed her deeply.
“While in Los Angeles, the Lord truly broke my heart for what breaks His,” Pulliam said. “I believe He has given me the desire to go back.”
In Utah, students worked alongside a church plant and saw firsthand both the need for the gospel and the demands of planting a church in an area with few evangelical congregations. Campus missionary Kayleigh Riker said the team knocked on doors in neighborhoods, prayer walked at BYU, had gospel conversations at Utah Valley University, and encouraged members of Mosaic Church plant vineyard, the only evangelical church in a city of 1,700 people.
“I was praying for one person to be moved to give missions a try in Utah and out of the 12 students there, two of them are committed to going short term in the next year, and two others are considering this,” Riker said.
Junior Ashton said the trip left him praying through a possible call to church planting.
“The Lord really convicted me of how the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,” he said.
Students serving in Portland worked alongside Northwest Collegiate Ministry, conducting demographic and spiritual surveys at Portland State University that opened the door to meaningful gospel conversations. Junior Hanna Bearden said the surveys helped students meet people from many different backgrounds and connect them with ministry leaders on campus.
Senior Evan Westling said Portland showed him both the openness and resistance that can exist in a spiritually dark place.
“Really leaning in on love and relationship building was definitely highlighted to me over this trip,” he said.
Senior Sara Cauble recalled speaking with a student named Massimo, who said he wanted to put his faith in Jesus and planned to read the Gospel of John, though he was not yet ready to trust Christ.
“Even though Massimo didn’t become our brother in Christ in that moment, we were so excited knowing that someone was seeking Jesus on that campus,” Cauble said. “We trust that He will reveal Himself to Massimo and speak to him as he continues to seek after God.”
In London, students sent out by First Baptist Cumming encouraged missionaries and took part in ministry ranging from Ramadan meals with Muslims to outreach on a college campus. Senior Matt Nixon said the trip once again revealed the depth of spiritual need in the city and surrounding suburbs.
“God allowed our team to just see a glimpse of how He is carrying out His mission in this city,” Nixon said.
Senior Phoenix Borrego said the people the team met often had little interaction with believers, but many were ready to listen.
“My heart was broken for these people, but their ears were ready to hear,” Borrego said.
Wade urged continued prayer not only for those who made decisions, but also for the students who returned home changed.
“Please continue to pray that the seeds planted would take root and grow, that those who made decisions would be discipled well through local churches, and that our students would carry this same boldness back to their campus and communities,” Wade said. “Together, we are seeing lives changed for eternity.”
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