Restorative justice. Transformative reflection. Substantive community. Conscientious leadership.
Those are the “four essential pillars” that guided the spring break activities of five Oho Wesleyan University Interfaith Service teams. The nearly 40 students, their faculty-staff advisers, and other members of the OWU and Delaware communities gathered March 27 to discuss each team’s recently completed service and the lessons learned.
This year’s team destinations, missions, and members included:
In August, Hurricane Harvey dumped record amounts of rainfall and caused devastating flooding in Texas. This team spent the week helping to rebuild a family’s Houston-area home. The group worked with SBP, formerly the St. Bernard Project, a nonprofit co-founded by an OWU alumnus Zack Rosenburg ’95 to assist with hurricane recovery efforts.
Houston team members:
More than a decade after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans still struggles to recover. This team spent the week working with SBP to help insulate and drywall a family’s home. The team also explored community-building, as well as national and global responsibility for disaster restoration.
New Orleans team members:
This team partnered with The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia, with assistance from the Rev. Nicole Diroff ’02, the center’s associate executive director. The team attended Sikh, Hindu/Jain, Muslim, and Jewish worship services, met with Mormon leaders, and completed service at sites including a long-term homeless shelter for those with disabilities.
Philadelphia team members:
This team traveled to the Rosebud Reservation to work to rebuild Lakota-Anglo relationships damaged historically by Christian missionaries. The team worked with Lakota Youth Development, an organization committed to helping Native youth know their culture and have access to people, places, and environments that help them to develop healthy lifestyles.
Lakota Nation team members:
This team worked with Human Connections, an organization that specializes in cross-cultural immersion with an eye toward growth and learning for all involved. Together, they explored the economics of social responsibility and sustainable practices, and they completed service projects including improving a playground and sorting recyclables.
Bucerias team members:
Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan’s Interfaith Service program at .