SENIOR TRAVELS ABROAD TO SPREAD HER FAITH

This summer, senior Jane Prock joined a group of students at Texas Christian University (TCU) on a mission trip to Indonesia and evangelized to the native people about her religion. Her trip ran from May 30 to June 17, during which she and her team explored the city of Manado.

“Evangelism [means to] share our faith, pray for people, share the story of Jesus and watch God heal people physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually,” Prock said. “I gained so much confidence in [not holding back when sharing the word of God], because [I feel that] if I withhold information about Jesus, I am depriving [people] of something incredible.”

Senior Rhys Hershberger has been a friend of Prock for several years, so he understood her excitement for the trip.

“[Prock’s siblings] have been to Greece and Tijuana [on mission trips], so she always had an interest in going herself,” Hershberger said. “I believe she learned and [grew] a lot [after going to Indonesia].”

Prock’s mother, Susan Prock, was also highly supportive of her daughter through the entire process.

“My sons have gone [in] previous years and had amazing experiences, so I wanted Jane to have the opportunity [to share that same experience],” Susan Prock said. “I hoped she would experience the love and kindness of the church group she was joining, [that] she would model herself after them [and that] she [would] be more convinced of [God’s] love for her [and for mankind].”

Since Susan Prock was well acquainted with the church at TCU, the group and its leaders, she wanted to give her daughter the chance to show other people that God not only existed, but that He really wanted a relationship with them.

Each day of the mission trip began with breakfast and a quiet time consisting of spiritual contemplation. Then they proceeded to go to the church facility for a couple hours of team bonding activities. Afterwards, experienced interns who spent the whole summer in Indonesia would tell Prock and her team the schedule for the day. Everyone would then get their lunches and travel to their assigned locations in the city. Prock and her team spent about five hours daily on the streets finding people to evangelize to. They were then given the rest of the night to either explore the city or worship in private.

While exploring the city in her spare time, Prock was surprised by the cultural differences but was prepared to take on responsibilities as a representative of her church.

“It required her to jump out of her comfort zone in a lot of ways,” Susan Prock said. “Going with a team she did not know well and being in a very different country helped her broaden her outlook on her life here. I hoped she would love seeing [that] when we love people and go out of our way for them, it is so fulfilling.”

Going to Indonesia was more than another summer vacation trip for Prock; it gave a new level of connection with not only God but also with people from her team and in Indonesia. Evangelizing to others gave her the chance to promote her faith and see the world through a new perspective.

“I [was able to] listen to God as He spoke to me and gave me visions of who I should pray for or what to pray for them,” Prock said. “He spoke a [lot] of truth into my life Himself and also through my team.”