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Christian university encourages mission work

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By Chelsey Levingston, Staff Writer 11:44 PM Sunday, June 28, 2009

A 20-year-old engineering student from Middletown put his studies to use during a recent mission trip to Liberia.

Mark Hiteshew, a junior at Cedarville University, returned May 30 after spening two weeks in Monrovia, the capital city of the West African nation.

Hiteshew, the son of David and Mary Hiteshew of Dover Avenue, was one of the eight students on the university’s Developing Real Engineering Answers for Missions team who helped to make improvements to water and computer systems on the campus of its partner ministry, Eternal Love Winning Africa Ministries Association.

But he said it is he who really gained from the experience “seeing how my engineering, my knowledge from an education standpoint could be used in a global context and to lift others up,” he said.

Such mission work abroad is commonplace and encouraged by the Christian university, said Brian Nester, director of missions involvement.

Throughout the academic year, about 30 teams representing about 10 percent of the student body travel with faculty and staff members through such mission and study trips.

“What I like about it is our students are learning in the classroom and seeing themselves in other cultures,” Nester said.

During his two-week stay, Hiteshew said his team worked to improve the water pressure and computer labs at the Christian campus, which includes a hospital, school and radio station.

The students installed a new water pump, cleaned a cooling system and cleaned, repaired and filled a 10,000-gallon water tank.

They also fixed the computer lab for the kindergarten to eighth-grade school, as well as taught staff how to maintain the lab.

In addition to Tom Thompson, an engineering professor, Paul Mitchell, head of Cedarville’s water system, and Ray Hutchison, Serving in Missions regional director, other university professors and a student group helped the engineering students prepare.

Before the trip, the Cedarville group developed solar reading lights that charge in the day. About 50 of the lights were distributed, which pastors use to deliver sermons or for Bible readings at night in areas outside of the campus, which provides its own water and utilties.

The work in Liberia is part of the Cedarville DREAM team’s aim to “glorify God and further the Gospel using engineering skills and abilities by solving technical problems,” according to its Web site.

Hiteshew said for his trip, he was well prepared for problem-solving through what he learned in studying two years.

His father, David Hiteshew, said the experience also provided other lessons for his son.

“He gained more appreciation and understanding of the advantages of living in America,” he said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2507 or clevingston@coxohio.com

www.elwaministries.org.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2000 or clevingston@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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