By Ashlynn Worley

Mission trips are a large part of what the Franciscans value. Organizers say these trips are an opportunity to learn and grow spiritually while serving others.

Some Quincy University students were preparing for an upcoming mission trip to Cairo, Illinois over Fall break.

Instead, plans changed at the last minute.

Lydia Martens is a junior at Quincy University and is the mission trip coordinator. Due to a lack of interest in attendance, Martens said the trip is off.

“The trip unfortunately had to be canceled because there were simply not enough students interested,” Martens said.

The original deadline for sign-ups was October 4th. When there were not enough people who were interested in going, the deadline was extended. Even after the deadline extension, only one student signed up.

Since not enough students were willing to go, the trip was canceled.

The trip costs students around $150 to attend, but mission trip scholarships were available for students in any financial situation to fill out in order to attend.

The scholarship process required an essay describing your situation and concluded with a conversation with campus ministry.

Each student who signed up was expected to provide a $50 non-refundable deposit in order to reserve a spot.

Eight students traveled to Cairo and participated in the mission trip last year. Around the same number of students were expected to attend this year as well. David Spillman was one of the students who attended the Cairo mission trip last year.

“I just like the experience of mission trips, helping out people, knowing new people and just relating to different people is always a good thing to do,” Spillman said.

Some of the service students did last year included work for a community program in Cairo called Day Star.

This program runs a food pantry and thrift store where students volunteered.

“It’s important just to get the experience of serving people because you walk away with something. Even if it’s something really small like making a friend on campus, you walk away with something positive no matter what mission trip you go on,” Martens said.

When asked why more QU students should attend mission trips, the answer was simple.

“Going on a mission trip versus doing service elsewhere it just brings a whole new dimension to the experience and it’s just great,” Spillman said.

Campus ministry is planning another mission trip to Biloxi Mississippi at the end of the semester.

More information and sign-up sheets will be sent to students after Fall break.