Local student says mission trip changed his life

By Staff
John Hicks
FCT Staff Writer
For Caleb Farris, one mission trip to China was all it took to change his perspective on life.
Farris is one of four University of North Alabama Baptist Campus Ministries students from Russellville who will be serving as summer missionaries this year. He is returning to China for the second summer in a row.
The other BCM missionaries from Russellville are Jennifer Kimbrough, Channing Ward and Leah Parker. All three will be serving in Texas.
Missionary candidates provide BCM with three locations where they'd like to serve. After going through an in-depth application process, the candidates are interviewed by their peers and campus ministers.
When the candidates are deemed qualified, they are trained and assigned to a mission setting in the U.S. or abroad. The BCM at UNA has been sending students on mission trips since 1947. The students work with churches, camps, inner-city mission centers, nursing homes and in many other settings, serving from four to 12 weeks.
Farris, a language student at UNA, is majoring in Spanish. When it came time for him to choose a second language to meet proficiency requirements, he elected to study Chinese. His decision would have life-changing implications.
Farris said he was overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of the Chinese people he met.
When he returned from China last year, Farris found himself looking at his own culture through different eyes.
According to the 22-year-old Farris, his missionary trip made him realize how much more of a difference he could've been making all along.
Each year the UNA BCM raises approximately $25,000 to fund mission trips. On April 25, a fundraising golf tournament will be held at the new Robert Trent Jones Trail in Ford City. For more information about the tournament, contact Eddy Garner at 764-5083 or 335-0691.