All Drury students get a global education. In fact, all students earn a minor in global studies. Over the summer, three Drury students actually lived globally. They spent six weeks in Togo, a small, French-speaking West African nation, with Cru Ministries (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ).
Alex Dowell with an orphan in Togo
“I and everyone on the project are followers of Jesus Christ and we believe that we’re called to serve him,” said Drury senior Alex Dowell. “That includes sharing Christ’s message and serving those who are afflicted.”
In serving the afflicted, Dowell, along with fellow Drury students, Annissa Dugas and Lindsey Sprouse, walked the walk. The Cru Ministries group spent time at two orphanages in Togo. The Drury students and their colleagues taught Bible stories and delivered clothing, and they worked hard while cleaning out a sewage system and hanging mosquito nets. The group also traveled two hours from the capital, Lome’ (Lo-may), to a village where they shared The Jesus Film, which had just recently been translated into the local language.
Dowell with college students in Togo
Cru Ministries’ goal was to spend the majority of its time at the University of Lome’, a college with around 60,000 students. However, they were delayed in getting on the campus due to protests and police crackdowns. Students were upset about curriculum changes and graduation requirements that are going to cost students more money. For days, Cru Ministries was advised not to go on the campus, but, after a week, the group decided to go to the campus. After a few days, some protests flared up, tear gas was fired, and the Cru Ministries group had to flee the tear gas. They returned to campus and ended up spending two weeks at the college before returning home.
Dowell says the liberal arts education he received at Drury helped him prepare for an international trip, “It gave me a broader worldview, and I realized that most people are very relaxed and open to learning about other cultures and spirituality. They have a thirst for knowledge as human beings.”
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