LIMA—For the third year in a row, Catholic college students from the Ohio State University at Lima and Rhodes State College traveled to Kentucky to remodel houses during their spring break.

Twenty-five students participated in this year’s alternative spring break trip, more than twice as many as last year.

For the third year in a row, Catholic college students from the Ohio State University at Lima and Rhodes State College traveled to Kentucky to remodel houses during their spring break. (Photo courtesy of Sandy Connell)

The students are members of the Newman Student Outreach, which is currently the largest organization on campus. Directed by campus minister Sandy Connell, the group meets twice a month for lunch and to share their faith stories and participate in Bible studies or service projects.

They once again worked with the Christian Appalachian Project, an organization that has a monthly project called “Work Fest” where students from many colleges meet for a week at a time in March to better the lives of those in Appalachia where living conditions are at their lowest in this country.

This year OSU made the alternative spring break trip worth five credits for 30 hours of Community Outreach Service. Each student also had to write a three-page paper.

In her paper, Ashley John, a Rhodes student wrote that the experience was more about the people than the building the students were fixing.

“I feel like in a sense we were God’s hands and feet working to answer one woman’s prayers, and because we accepted the task, God used us to do His work, shine his grace and mercy upon this sweet woman,” Ms. John wrote. “When you saw the woman’s face we helped and realized God reached out His hand by using us as His hand it was an amazing feeling.”

Candace Muir, an OSU-Lima student said, “What stood out on this trip was when Dr. Chad Berry from Berea College came to speak to us about the land of the local areas we were working in. He stated that the five poorest counties in the United States were all in Kentucky where we were working. I just did not know Kentucky was really poor in some spots. Before coming on this trip I honestly did not know that there were problems happening like this in Kentucky. I feel it is my job to help as many people as I can in my lifetime. I am grateful for the life I live and in return I should help people, animals or whatever else needs assistance.”

Tabitha Thomas a student and a mother, said “being part of something greater than myself” was the most significant part of the trip for her.

“I experienced God in ways I never have my whole life and for the first time, I felt closer to faith. Ironically the five credits didn’t mean as much to me as I got more from this trip that I gave,” she said.

Eric Wenning, an OSU student, signed on as a long term volunteer for the Christian Appalachian Project and will soon be heading back to the area for an extended stay.