By Lexie V. Owen | Echo
Next week's World Opportunities Week (WOW) adjusts its program to focus on spiritual poverty in first-world nations.
"In past years, the focus has mainly been on second- and third-world countries," WOW Co-Director and sophomore Erin Cooper said. "However, this week is centered around the 'forgotten' first-world countries."
Through the first-world focus, WOW will invite students to reexamine the way they view their own backyard. Cooper hopes that by the end of the week, students will be able to identify which traditions may now be empty and which have retained purpose.
"We really feel that those (first-world) countries kind of started out to build the kingdom of God, but have really lost that through tradition and monotony," WOW Co-Director and junior Abbie Brewer said.
Chapels will feature mission representatives involved in various first world ministries. Scott Godsworthy, who is involved with a missionary church in England, will speak on Monday. Wednesday's chapel will feature two mission representatives from GO Corps and Foundations in Christ. Friday's chapel will focus on church planting.
Next week will also include traditional WOW events in accordance with this year's mission statement, which states, "We desire to see students open their eyes to spiritual poverty and spark reclamation of a relationship with God."
Here's the week's schedule:
Monday night will start off the week's events with a worship night in Rediger chapel from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday night will feature a job fair called "Coffee Break," which will include Starbucks, games and opportunities to meet missions representatives. This will take place in the Euler Science Complex from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday night will feature the traditional pancake night in various residence halls on campus. Finally, Thursday night will include a concert called "Beats and Sweets" featuring the Taylor group Sun and Heir, along with other local musicians, in the Union from 8-10 p.m. The event is being catered by Dan's Variety Bakery, known to most students as "Dirty Dan's" doughnut shop.
"The evening events provide a less intimidating environment where the mission representatives are more approachable," Cooper said. "We want students to take the opportunity to not only enjoy the events, but to talk with the mission representatives and engage in their ministries."
These events provide an opportunity for WOW to raise funds in support of The Boaz Project, an organization that focuses on global orphan care. All WOW fundraising is going towards its mission of building an alternative refuge for orphans in Vladimir, Russia.
WOW coordinators anticipate next week's focus will help students consider their role in mission and how this calling relates to their individual majors and vocational plans.
"We hope that this week gives students an opportunity to learn of different specific places they can serve," Cooper said. "We know that not everyone is called to be full-time missionaries, but God calls us all to a life of missions no matter where we may be. Our desire is that this week begins to instill a heart of missions in the students for the rest of their lives."
Here's the week's schedule:
- Monday: worship night in Rediger chapel from 7-9 p.m.
- Tuesday: job fair in Euler from 7-9 p.m. called "Coffee Break," which will include Starbucks, games and opportunities to meet missions representatives. This will take place in the Euler Science Complex from 7-9 p.m.
- Wednesday: pancake night in various residence halls.
- Thursday: a concert called "Beats and Sweets" featuring the Taylor group Sun and Heir, along with other local musicians, in the Union from 8-10 p.m. The event is being catered by Dan's Variety Bakery, known to most students as "Dirty Dan's" doughnut shop.
