Story 4_final draft

"Lovin' on Laredo"

Cru travels to Laredo for Mission Trip

By: Judy Lynn Drazan

Thirty members of Campus Crusade for Christ at Texas State University, Cru, traveled to Laredo and participated in the mission trip "Lovin' on Laredo" from March 10-16.

Texas State Cru is an international, interdominational, Christian, student organization. Dr. Bill and Vonette Bright launched Cru at the University of California at Los Angelos in 1951, and there are now 1, 029 campuses in the United States.

The Cru members stayed at Laredo Stepping Stone, a housing project created to serve missionaries or missionary teams and provide outlets to serving projects.



Laredo Stepping Stone. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lopez-Flores.



The Cru members assisted "Volunteers Serving the Need," a serving project that aids area veterans and their families. They helped Gigi Ramos, originator of the serving project, organize donations and gifts, do administrative paperwork and pray for her ministry to expand to another location nearby.

"Cru pulled together to help as much as possible in the little time we had," said Meagan McErlean, Cru intern.

The serving project provides free food, gifts and even birthday cake to area veterans and their families. Ramos owns a thrift store that funds the serving project.

"She has such a big heart and was graceful about how she let us help her," said Elizabeth Lopez-Flores, psychology junior.

The Cru members also worked with Kids Camp and Hunger Rescue.



Hunger Rescue. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lopez-Flores.



"Kids Camp was a fun way to connect with the kids," said Hollie Benson, international studies-curriculum and instruction sophomore. "We played and laughed and shared the Gospel with them in a four-act play."

Hunger Rescue permitted the Cru members to interact with the homeless and get to know them by name.

"The time spent talking with them was insightful," said McErlean.

Benson agreed.

"I thought it would be us blessing them," said Benson. "Yet it was they who opened up and blessed us."
Hunger Rescue gives 150 homecooked meals to the homeless every evening.

The Cru members attended Well Bible Church as well. The church is led by Brent Davis and meets every Sunday to have services in the park with the local homeless. The church's mission is to reach out and build relationships with ones society tends to forget.

The Cru members also visited the Texas A&M University International campus. The members had a prayer walk in an effort to allow Campus Crusade for Christ to form on the campus.

The Cru members' mission trip helped many people and touched many people's lives in Laredo.

"I wanted to go from the beginning," said Lopez-Flores. "Just thinking about going made my heart leap for excitement."

Sources:
Hollie Benson, international studies-curriculum and instruction sophomore, hb1110@txstate.edu
Elizabeth Lopez-Flores, psychology junior, e_170@txstate.edu
Meagan McErlean, Cru intern, (281)-236-7574
http://www.txstatecru.com/
http://campuscrusadeforchrist.com/

Links:
http://www.txstatecru.com/
http://campuscrusadeforchrist.com/
http://www.cityoflaredo.com/
http://www.tamiu.edu/
http://laredosteppingstone.com/