S3E7: Lessons from the Field
— Jeff Sherrod, Laurie Kagay, Olivia Beaverson, Mark Olivera
Summary: In this episode of College Conversations host Jeff Sherrod sits with Laurie Kagay, VP of Marketing and Enrollment, and students Olivia Beaverson and Mark Olivera. Together, they tackle the anxieties surrounding mandatory international mission trips for students and their parents. They discuss the challenges and rewards of international trips. The conversation highlights the initial apprehension from both students and parents, focusing on safety concerns and the unknown. The episode differentiates between highly facilitated trips and more independent immersion experiences, emphasizing the valuable learning and personal growth fostered by the latter, despite the increased challenges and anxieties. Practical advice is offered for addressing parental concerns, focusing on the biblical basis for missions and the supportive team environment provided. The episode concludes with encouragement for prospective students to embrace the challenges, learn from mistakes, and participate in God's global work.
Transcript - Tue, 03 Jun 2025 20:27:05 GMT
Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2025 20:27:05 GMT, Duration: [00:36:42.30]
[00:00:06.08] - Jeff Sherrod
Hey, everyone, and welcome back to College Conversations. My name is Jeff Sherrod. In this episode, I am joined with Laurie Kagay, and we're interviewing a couple students about the topic of International Mission. Now, we've talked about this topic several times in the podcast. Specifically in this episode, we're talking about sometimes the anxieties that students and their parents face when they're thinking about the prospect of joining a mission school or even doing international trips. We talk about the safeguards that are present for an organization like ours, but also just recognizing that anything that we do to follow the Lord is going to have some implicit risk. Our desire is to both mitigate that risk and then also recognize that students have to have faith, to step in, to believe and to follow the things that God's called them to do. And in that, there's a safety. I think you guys will really appreciate this episode, and thanks for joining us as always for College Conversations.
[00:00:57.81] - Olivia Beaverson
Foreign.
[00:01:03.96] - Jeff Sherrod
Well, excited to be back on College Conversations. This whole season, we're having a series of student guests. Come on, kind of hear from your guys, perspectives. So excited to hear from you guys today. Mark, you want to go ahead and introduce yourself?
[00:01:14.68] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, I'm Mark Olivera. I'm from La Verne, Tennessee. It's about 40 minutes from here.
[00:01:19.32] - Jeff Sherrod
From Nashville.
[00:01:20.01] - Mark Olivera
Yep, from here in Nashville. And I'm a third year at the institute.
[00:01:24.09] - Jeff Sherrod
Awesome. Yeah. And. And, Mark, you already had some experience from college before you even came here, right?
[00:01:28.90] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, I got a bachelor's degree from MTSU in 2020, and in 2022, I decided to come to the institute.
[00:01:35.65] - Jeff Sherrod
Nice, man. Awesome.
[00:01:37.62] - Olivia Beaverson
I'm Olivia Beaverson from Parigold, Arkansas.
[00:01:40.73] - Jeff Sherrod
You're staying with some kind of. It's. It's Southern.
[00:01:43.62] - Laurie Kagay
Is that how they say it in Parigold?
[00:01:45.21] - Olivia Beaverson
Oh, okay. Yeah, they do. I mean, it's. Yeah, it's. It's deep, deep Southern. But then I'm in my sixth year. Sixth year.
[00:01:54.48] - Jeff Sherrod
We say super senior. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Awesome. And we're excited to have Mrs. Laurie Kagay with us today. Everyone is the VP of Marketing Enrollment here at the institute. And so we are talking about maybe just the way I say just. We're talking about potential anxieties related to international travel. This is not something that is unique to just one or two people when they're thinking about traveling internationally. It's also, for us, it's a part that's included in the program. So every student's gonna have a series of three trips by the time that they graduate. You guys have been on some of These trips before. So we're kind of excited to hear that. But I would say, and Laurie, you probably would agree with me here. This is the topic that comes up often for prospective students, like, how is this gonna work out? And what does that. Do I have to go, you know, just anxieties.
[00:02:47.71] - Laurie Kagay
Yeah. I think it's becoming even increasingly that way, I think. Or maybe I'm just hearing it more. You know, it's reaching my ears. Maybe it wasn't before, but I am seeing students who were like, I like your school. I don't know about that part. Or my mom isn't comfortable with that part, or my grandma has a question about that part, or do I have to go? You know, like. And so when I think for us, we see it as a highlight, but it also can sometimes introduce worry.
[00:03:18.65] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:03:19.00] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah.
[00:03:19.40] - Laurie Kagay
And so it's an interesting tension to, I think, deal with. But it's nice, I think, on this episode to hear from you guys and if you ever felt like that.
[00:03:27.09] - Olivia Beaverson
Right.
[00:03:27.49] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah. So I want to kind of think through how did that. When you guys first started doing this, doing missions in the school, how did it affect you, the potentially anxieties? How have you worked through it on the backside, having done now at least two trips, even more. And then what advice would we give to people that are maybe just starting out? So maybe I'll just start with what were your first thoughts when you found out that you were going to a college that had an international mission requirement? Like, what was the. What was the feelings?
[00:03:54.99] - Olivia Beaverson
I think I didn't quite know how to feel about it. I was. Because I had been introduced to the school through programs like slam, where I would come in the summer, and I would. Students living in Michigan, I would get some exposure to, like, to serving, like, local communities here in Nashville. But on the international scale of things, I hadn't really considered before I ended up signing up for the institute, about even. Like, I hadn't necessarily considered doing missions long term. And so I think I didn't totally know how to feel about it, but I was like, well, that's part of what we're doing. So I guess we're gonna.
[00:04:31.55] - Jeff Sherrod
You're real. Like, I'm along for the kind of.
[00:04:34.06] - Laurie Kagay
A free spirit explorer type.
[00:04:36.91] - Olivia Beaverson
So I was like, we'll see how that works. But I think that. I mean, that's. It's interesting, though, because my. My mom was not necessarily in the same boat, so. So she had more concerns, I think. But I think that the more that I've learned, God's Word, the more it's less of like, oh, that's just what we're doing. And that's where. That's why we're doing it. But I know now, even the reasons biblically, as I've gotten more education in God's word, why it's important to make considerations.
[00:05:07.54] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah, that's helpful, because early on, if a parent's like, I don't know why you have to do that. You're like, well, it's just required. And it doesn't go any further than that. The school said, do you remember some of her concerns?
[00:05:18.63] - Olivia Beaverson
Oh, yeah.
[00:05:19.00] - Jeff Sherrod
What were they?
[00:05:19.60] - Olivia Beaverson
They're so drunk.
[00:05:20.95] - Jeff Sherrod
Give us some samples.
[00:05:22.00] - Laurie Kagay
They were like, hey, no, no shade to the moms. Mom's laughing here. And it's all reasonable questions and advice.
[00:05:29.39] - Olivia Beaverson
So there's.
[00:05:29.83] - Laurie Kagay
There's no, like, no shame here. I'm a mom.
[00:05:32.95] - Jeff Sherrod
We're all.
[00:05:34.00] - Laurie Kagay
We're all lovely.
[00:05:35.00] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah, you guys are. You guys are. I. I mean, I was. I had applied and been accepted for the institute already. And then the summer before I came here for my freshman year, they. There was a demission going to El Salvador. And my mom was like, no, I don't think that that's gonna work. And I was like, okay, but if I save up all the money for it, then I'll be like, that's the problem. That's the concern that it's the finances. So I'll go. So I ended up saving up all the money. I got a job and I saved up for it. And then she still was like, no. And that's when we had more of a conversation to even figure out, like, what were her concerns. And a lot of it was safety. That was her biggest thing, was that she was really afraid and she wasn't sure. She didn't have a lot of exposure to global outreach developments as a whole either. And so she didn't necessarily know. And I didn't know how to, like, even communicate with people what, like, what qualifications there were for even leaders that were coming that would be able to provide, like, you know, be able to provide safety and make good decisions. So I'm not sure where that fear came from in her necessarily. I think that it was just, like, scary, the idea of me traveling out of the country, because I'd never been out of the country before either. And so I think that there was just some fear around the unknown.
[00:07:00.17] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah, I believe it.
[00:07:00.97] - Laurie Kagay
I think that's. I think it's a good story because you are like, well, I thought the concern was finances. I read the Finances. But then I realized, oh, that wasn't the whole thing.
[00:07:09.05] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah. Yeah.
[00:07:09.68] - Laurie Kagay
But also, I think that's a helpful process to go to, too. To be like, well, I don't actually know what the fear was about. But then to note, like, often when I'm talking to students or their parents, those are things I know. I'm like, we're not sending them out alone.
[00:07:21.81] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:07:22.29] - Laurie Kagay
We're not sending them out without a facilitator.
[00:07:24.49] - Olivia Beaverson
Right.
[00:07:24.85] - Laurie Kagay
They're not just, like, exploring Africa. Like, this is not the kind of.
[00:07:29.49] - Jeff Sherrod
Seem to be some of the thought when you say international mission people, like, all right, you are putting yourself in the most dangerous situation possible by yourself.
[00:07:39.07] - Laurie Kagay
Where we actually have been doing this a long time, and we have policies that will even say, like, even if either the World Health Organization or the US Government says, you know, travel should be reconsidered in this area, we have it in our policy that we won't take students there.
[00:07:55.19] - Olivia Beaverson
Right.
[00:07:55.56] - Laurie Kagay
That's the. You know, that's our initial question is like, is everything okay in that country right now? And is our campus ready and our people there ready where students can. Could go there and have, you know, a fruitful and successful time this summer? And we used to be always a. Yes. And. But, you know, there's been things. Covid was one of them. But even other things. Sometimes there's an epidemic in that region, and we have to say, not this year. Sometimes it's just a personnel issue. So we are, like, you know, looking at all those things. But, yeah, that's what I've found. At least to tone down some of the imagination is like, hey, guys, they're not exploring. Mission doesn't equal wandering.
[00:08:33.94] - Jeff Sherrod
Right. Climbing a mountain by yourself without safety nets.
[00:08:37.34] - Laurie Kagay
Right. Right.
[00:08:38.94] - Jeff Sherrod
What about you, Mark? What were you thinking when you're like, I'm going to school has a mission requirement.
[00:08:42.86] - Mark Olivera
Yeah. I mean, honestly, before even coming to the institute, I never thought that I would go on a mission trip abroad. I had been abroad to Peru and Mexico. But going abroad for a mission trip for, like a month or a month and a half or however long to help service, it was never something that crossed my mind.
[00:08:58.75] - Jeff Sherrod
But.
[00:08:59.07] - Mark Olivera
But when I came to the institute and I wanted to learn the word, I wanted to learn God's word, and I saw that we have three required trips. I'm like, oh. I'm like, all right, we'll just cross that bridge when I get there. And so even like, my first year, I was like, I don't think I'm gonna do a trip this year, and then somehow God wrote me into it, and I was like, who did? Who did? God.
[00:09:23.47] - Laurie Kagay
Yeah.
[00:09:23.87] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah. That's how it works.
[00:09:24.95] - Laurie Kagay
I'm just saying, no woman did that to you.
[00:09:27.30] - Mark Olivera
Yeah. And I'm like, all right, I'll do this. And my. My parents, they're gonna be a little bit protective, but for the most part, they were super supportive of it. My mom, she raised us Christian our whole life, and so it's kind of like her dream to see us learning the Bible and now going and actually living it out. And my dad, even though he does. He's not, like, religious or anything, he's just happy that we're serving people. Like, we're helping people out. We're doing something meaningful with our time. And of course, my mom, she's. She loves. She worries a lot. But I'm like, you just gotta remember, we're not going alone. Like you guys were saying, like, we got very capable leaders who are gonna give us direction.
[00:10:09.47] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah. One of the things that. Mark, I know you've been on two trips now with your organization. One is summer internship, which you're talking about facilitation. That's a much more facilitated trip. This is often, like the intro trip for. For us, for our students. Either sometimes they're coming right out of high school before they come to the institute or maybe after they finish up their freshman year. And that's. You know, that's a kind of regimented trip. And then you also went on an immersion trip last year. What was some of the feeling that's a less facilitated.
[00:10:35.87] - Mark Olivera
Yeah.
[00:10:36.36] - Laurie Kagay
Which still doesn't mean no facilities.
[00:10:38.67] - Jeff Sherrod
Right. It's just. Yeah.
[00:10:39.67] - Laurie Kagay
Different.
[00:10:40.51] - Jeff Sherrod
It's just part of that growth that we want students to experience, like graduating them into more ownership, really, and. And responsibility as they work through the program. But maybe you can even just talk a little bit about, like, how was the feeling difference between going on that second trip. Immersion trip, which is a little bit less facilitated compared to your first trip, which was more.
[00:11:01.91] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, because I. I would definitely say that I experienced anxiety before. Both of those trips, in terms of the internship is like, it's a new experience. You're going to another country. But I didn't feel as much because there was, like, a lot of facilitation there. Like, every second, you're gonna have a leader there beside you, pretty much guiding you through whatever it is you're gonna go through. But with immersion, I know there's the added element of a little bit less facilitation. You're still gonna Have a leader, somebody helping you out on the field, but there's also an added responsibility in what you have to do. And so I remember, even before we even set out for the immersion trip, we had meetings, weekly meetings. Months beforehand, I think we started having meetings in, like, January or February, and our trip left in May, I believe.
[00:11:48.96] - Jeff Sherrod
Okay.
[00:11:49.60] - Mark Olivera
And so we had that leader there telling us, all right, this is what you can kind of start expecting from your immersion trip. You're going to have, like, some sort of goals that you're going to be trying to work with, and it's going to be things that we can help you do. You're not all by yourself doing it. So, again, it's like you have that leadership, but it's like, all right, how do I figure out how to do this?
[00:12:09.36] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah.
[00:12:09.75] - Mark Olivera
And is it like, am I capable of doing something like this? Because I believe it was, like, a week or two before we had a meeting where we had, like, our actual goals for this. This immersion trip. And so we had the rest of the time before the trip to start preparing material, talking to people, gathering supplies, and all this stuff. And, man, I was. I was so stressed out. I was like, I feel like I don't have enough time to do this. And it was a. It was a smaller group as well. So that's another difference. We had four people going on this immersion trip versus the internship. I think it was, like, 25 students going somewhere around there. And on top of that, it's like, I'm going without my brother, who going on this immersion trip. This would be the longest time apart that I would have from him. I think it was, like, six weeks. And we had never.
[00:13:04.85] - Laurie Kagay
For context, they're both in school here the first summer they traveled together.
[00:13:08.45] - Mark Olivera
So, yes.
[00:13:09.16] - Laurie Kagay
My brother, longest ever apart.
[00:13:11.21] - Jeff Sherrod
And you guys are tight.
[00:13:12.45] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, we're close. We're only two years apart. And I was like, I'm not going to have my brother with me. And then these other members that I'm going with, I'm not super close with. It's like, I feel like I'm going to a country by myself, even though that's not the case. But that's kind of like what I was feeling on the inside. It's like, on top of that, now I have these responsibilities that I got to try to figure out how to handle. I was like, man, I am not okay.
[00:13:40.28] - Jeff Sherrod
Did you hit a point where you're like, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to do this?
[00:13:43.09] - Mark Olivera
I think I did, because I Remember, there was this one night, like, a week or two before the trip, and there was a party. Not like a party, but, like, I get together at a student housing event, and I was like, I can't go to that because I'm just not okay. And so I, like, call two of my friends, and I'm like, I'm not going. I just can't go to that get together because I am stressing out right now. And at that moment, it's like, I don't know if I could get through this. But the encouraging part about it is that we live in a community here where your friends are studying the Bible as well. So it's like you have that moment with them where they can speak life into you, even pray for you. And so I was able to have that. Just continuing to share, like, my anxieties with my friends was something that helped me to. To get through that moment. I still had them leading up until we got there, but it was definitely something more manageable when I let people in.
[00:14:37.59] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah. That's great. What about you, Olivier? You had a point where you're like, you're preparing. You're like, I just don't know if I'm going to be able to make this happen.
[00:14:43.11] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah, for sure. It was like, most of my experience was actually. I mean, preparing for immersion was really interesting because I think preparing for internship, because it is so heavily facilitated, there's less, like, even specific projects that I had to prepare for. There was still spiritual preparations and meetings with leadership of the internships that we would have practical things that we could be working on for getting in the right place spiritually. And I feel like those moments I wasn't preparing for internship in that way, I was more excited than anything else. But then preparing for immersion was. That was. It was different because I think there was, like, you just run into so many more practical, like, frustrating challenges. Like, even having to, like, research and try to get a hold of organizations in other countries that have, like, in completely different time zones. And then you're like, so it's. There's just very practical. Like, there's a lot more practical challenges.
[00:15:43.74] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah. Because for some of these trips, we're not just handing you the agenda.
[00:15:46.82] - Olivia Beaverson
Right.
[00:15:47.13] - Jeff Sherrod
We're trying to say, hey, part of your task is to also establish your agenda.
[00:15:50.34] - Laurie Kagay
Yeah.
[00:15:50.74] - Jeff Sherrod
With the skills you have. So sometimes you're reaching out to other organizations.
[00:15:53.46] - Olivia Beaverson
Right.
[00:15:53.77] - Jeff Sherrod
Hey, I want to come by and volunteer or meet with you. Yeah.
[00:15:56.03] - Olivia Beaverson
Yep. And I know, like, we did that for outside of the institute classes for immersion Preparation. But there's also like essential experiences for vocational mission, which is like a class at the institute that's even for getting you prepared for immersion. And so there were a lot of assignments with that where I was like, I don't think I can do this. I was like, I just don't know. Like, I don't feel like I have enough direction. I don't feel like I have enough, like, clear answers of what's going to happen. And I think that again, there was just a lot of like, not like. Like I think I really did feel like I had to have everything figured out. Like I had to know the exact plan and have everything figured out for whatever we're doing. But then in reality, after being on immersion, I think it was. There was just so many things that you can't even account for that come up. Like different, even relational things with. With people that you're trying to serve and with people that you're serving with. There's just like so many things that came up where I was like, well, this is infinitely more complicated than I could have even. Like. Like. Like there's not like a single task that I could have done that could have helped me like, well, not help me prepare, but that could have given.
[00:17:00.19] - Jeff Sherrod
Mitigated every possibility.
[00:17:02.50] - Olivia Beaverson
Right.
[00:17:02.87] - Laurie Kagay
Yeah, like some of the.
[00:17:03.95] - Olivia Beaverson
We.
[00:17:04.30] - Laurie Kagay
We have like a list of objectives.
[00:17:05.86] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:17:06.26] - Laurie Kagay
Particularly for. For both immersion trips. But it. Yeah, it kind of brings you down to earth a bit. So it goes maybe from like, I.
[00:17:14.91] - Olivia Beaverson
Was a part of this huge conference.
[00:17:16.43] - Laurie Kagay
Where we had fan. There were all these people and then it's immersion. And you're like, get on public transport.
[00:17:21.73] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:17:22.21] - Laurie Kagay
And go to this location, you know, related to your occupational focus. And you're like, like, just me and her. Yeah, just us. Like, and so it's. It's just a different feel in that way. Or it's like, yeah, have a meal at a house of someone your age and you know, sit with them and hear their stories. And so it's. And you stay in one place.
[00:17:45.84] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:17:46.32] - Laurie Kagay
So you're not traveling even all over as much. It's one region and it's testing your.
[00:17:52.56] - Olivia Beaverson
Language skills, which is so crazy because it really. It is very humbling, I think for sure. Because it is like even. It's like, okay, we have a small project like this past immersion that I took to. To Uganda. One of our projects was like, okay, which I say small. And it was. It was pretty. It was bigger, but it was like one of the things we were doing was helping to renovate an Office space there. And, I mean, comparatively to the projects that took place when the internship group was there, it was very small, and it took us, like. I was like, this is so crazy how long this is taking. How, like, there are so many problems that keep coming up. And it got to a point where I was like, I just feel like I should be able to solve the problems, but they just aren't getting solved, and I don't know what is happening. And it really is, like, it was very humbling because it slowed us down a lot, for sure. I think our team and having to, like, even think through, like, okay, what. What is the problem? Where is this coming from? What are we like, yeah, it was. And so it is, like, I think when you do have even smaller projects, I mean, to focus on, maybe it, like. I don't know. I just. Yeah. I think that there's. There were so many more things that came up than I would have thought initially.
[00:19:02.48] - Laurie Kagay
But I think when you see, like, heifer. And Mr. Garner described this too, but he's like, when you see someone that's really good at something, like. Like, for me, I'm like, you see a ballerina dance, and it looks amazing. Like, you're like. You just spun on your, like, toe, like, four times in a row, and you made it look easy. But, like, sometimes on an internship, that's kind of how you feel. You're like, missions is awesome. And I think there's a gap because sometimes you don't realize these people have been doing this for a long time. They thought through all these elements.
[00:19:33.61] - Olivia Beaverson
Right.
[00:19:33.94] - Laurie Kagay
And they made it look seamless.
[00:19:36.25] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:19:37.00] - Laurie Kagay
But you guys may not see all the months of preparation or all the people involved that, like, brought to that work. So then you go on an immersion. There's four of you or five of you or six of you, and it's like, this one room.
[00:19:49.65] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:19:50.08] - Laurie Kagay
And you're like, okay, okay. And then you're like, well, I went to the store, but they said this.
[00:19:56.36] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:19:56.65] - Laurie Kagay
They didn't have the thing, and they sent me there, and it's dark now. You know, like.
[00:20:01.41] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah.
[00:20:02.34] - Laurie Kagay
So it just is a shift in. Yeah, I think. Perspectives.
[00:20:05.71] - Olivia Beaverson
Definitely.
[00:20:06.75] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah. I think one of the things that is surprising for students and sometimes a frustration point is they're like, I wish I would have been prepared better.
[00:20:16.10] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:20:16.50] - Jeff Sherrod
Like, everyone's gonna say that to some degree. And as the educator on this side, I'm like, you know, I try not to take too much offense, but I want it. I want people to recognize, like, the way that we're preparing is by preparing people.
[00:20:28.48] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:20:28.83] - Jeff Sherrod
And you can't just say, we're preparing you for every single possibility. We have to. This is God's project and you are God's project. God's workmanship. So that has to. There has to be work that's done in your own life to be like, hey, when I come across a problem, I approach it in prayer.
[00:20:44.00] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:20:44.35] - Jeff Sherrod
And I'm going to work with the people that I work with, with love and truth telling and honesty and unity. And you'll find as that starts to happen. And I'm hoping that people get this when they travel abroad. Like, I was able to do things I didn't even know I was preparing for because it was a change that was happening in my own heart. And I think that that's a. That's a great thing that starts to happen when people really open their eyes.
[00:21:06.03] - Olivia Beaverson
To international travel, which I think is also helpful in terms of, like, preparation beforehand. I think that there is, like. I'm really glad that the institute does have, like, trips throughout your education even. Because I know for me it was actually, it was interesting because I was a Covid kid at the institute, so I came in a Covid kid.
[00:21:27.03] - Laurie Kagay
K. I heard, okay.
[00:21:31.66] - Olivia Beaverson
So I actually didn't get to take. I didn't take an internship until I think, I think it was my third year here. And so I. There was a lot of, like, classes, even community development classes and biblical studies classes that I had taken. And I knew in my mind I was like, this is culminating to something. This is going to be applicable. And it was applicable in my. My friendships here already and in the work that I was doing. But then coming back from my first internship and especially for my second internship, I was like, even. Not only was I, like, reflecting back on things I had already learned at the Institute, but in, like, classes I would be taking currently, I would be. I would have memories abroad to like, pull from and even, like, think about, okay, like, listening surveys. Like, that's something that we learned in some of our community development classes. I can see how that would have been incredibly helpful for me to do, like, in this situation on my first internship. And then I think that it really does, like, how it's. They're staggered throughout our intern or. Sorry. Throughout our institute experience. I think that that has been something I've been really thankful for. Cause I have even seen, like, I think, like, coming back from my second internship in 2023, I think I had a lot of community development classes at the institute that next year And I just kept feeling like, I'm not cut out for this. There's no way I am not ready. And because I was thinking about all the people that we had served, and I was like, I can't. Like, they're so precious. Like, I can't. I'm not. I'm like, this is serious. This is real. Like, we have. I was, like, telling my friends, like, come on, we gotta take this serious, you guys. This is real. That's real. People that were affecting on the other side of it. And then at the end of that year, getting to go back and then do an immersion where I was like, things are more complicated. I don't know. It was helpful because I think that is just, like, I've been able to see how much, like, deeper I've been able to go and, like, even asking better questions before, like, the end of my undergrad, even. So I've been thankful for that.
[00:23:32.59] - Jeff Sherrod
But that's awesome. Let me. Let me ask you this. Mark me justice to you. So, you know, there's some anxieties before you go. How does that change when you're on the field? Like, yeah, yeah.
[00:23:42.03] - Laurie Kagay
So what happened?
[00:23:43.20] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah, what. What does happen? Like, not even. Not even on the backside, but let's say, like, you're there. How does the. How does potential anxieties change when you're there?
[00:23:51.77] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, so it was like, we get to El Salvador. This specifically for my immersion trip. I get to El Salvador, and we get to the campus, and it's like, once you see the people's face that we're working with, it's like they're. They're happy to see you. They're excited to see you. It's like all that anxiety goes away because it's like you're still with God's people. These are the people you're going to be spending time with, getting to know. And even both of you guys benefiting from each other's presence, like, serving each other and serving alongside one another. And so in that moment, it's like, wow, this is like, God's family. I'm with God's family. So the anxiety in that moment kind of, like, drifted away because you were.
[00:24:29.93] - Jeff Sherrod
Even saying, like, part of it is like, I'm not going with all these people. But then you recognize they're already there. Yeah, that's cool. I love that.
[00:24:36.32] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, it's like, it was just really comforting to. Once you finally get to talk with the people and spend time with them, it's like, wow, I don't even know why I was anxious in the first place, but. And also, like, in terms of, like, the responsibility of the projects, it's like, you got to remember we're not doing these works by ourselves. It's like, this is our team. Like, the people down there and the people I went with, like, this is our team, and we're working to do these projects together.
[00:25:01.38] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah.
[00:25:01.77] - Mark Olivera
We're not solving anything by ourself. It's like a collective effort, and you got to be able to rely on the people that you're with. And just even so, when I got there and just knowing, like, all right, we got a team here, people who are all serving God's mission, all sharing the same values, it's like, I really don't have any reason to be anxious.
[00:25:20.63] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah.
[00:25:21.43] - Laurie Kagay
I think that is a powerful point, because, again, if we're, like, defining missions, it's not just, like, going and helping the people like Mark just described. You're going and joining a larger team.
[00:25:32.23] - Jeff Sherrod
What God is already doing, too.
[00:25:33.34] - Laurie Kagay
What God is already doing that you all are joint heirs of Gods in this work. And so that's. I mean, that's. That's what we're talking about. Not just, like, going and serving. And they're benefiting from what you have. You're like, no, that's my team. Like, I'm joining in the work that's ongoing. And with them, I know for you, you even had a lot of peers, so these just became even your. Your friends.
[00:25:57.35] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:25:58.48] - Laurie Kagay
So I think that's an important distinction, too.
[00:26:00.24] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah.
[00:26:00.64] - Laurie Kagay
Missions is not just about you and you doing things for them.
[00:26:05.93] - Mark Olivera
No.
[00:26:06.08] - Laurie Kagay
You're joining with a work that's ongoing, that's bigger than you. You're joining God's family.
[00:26:11.84] - Mark Olivera
Yeah.
[00:26:13.13] - Laurie Kagay
So that's awesome.
[00:26:14.49] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah. One of the things that I think both of you are saying is that, I mean, Olivia, you're saying, like, there is potentially some anxieties when you're there, but you're putting them. It's different because, like, on this side, I'm saying this side, like, you haven't gone yet. It's all imaginary, right?
[00:26:28.13] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:26:28.52] - Jeff Sherrod
I don't know what to do and what's going to happen. And then when you're there, you're like, we have these things to do, and the sun's going down. Maybe there's some anxiety, but that's. It's different. Right. Because it's. We're. We're enacting. And I think that I've never heard someone be super nervous on that side, other than just. I Want to be responsible with what God's given me, with the time. Make sure that you are able to be responsible with it. Olivia, let me put you on the spot because you're a super senior. Like, you said, if you were to go back and talk to your mom again now, and you were saying, like. And they're like, why do you have to go if your reason is no longer because it's required, what would be some of the things that you would. You would say now?
[00:27:07.04] - Olivia Beaverson
Oh, I mean, gosh, it's hard because I'm thinking through, like, without. Like, we don't share a context. Even knowing what I know now. Like, I think with my mom, she doesn't necessarily. Like, she. She does love the Lord, but she doesn't necessarily feel that same, like, conviction to. To serve the poor and to even, like, And. Or to. Yeah. So I don't know. I feel like if I were to go back and say it, I think that I would kind of start by even sharing some practical things. Like, Ms. Kagi had said that there's are. There is. There are people who have been doing this for, like, many years, and they are. They're trained in this. And this is, like, one of the things that. Yeah, they've spent, like, the majority of their life doing. And so they have a lot of experience in that way. And then in terms of, like, why I personally, like, need to do that, I would just share with her that I do think it's something that God has called me to do. Even though I might not understand it, and even though you might not understand it completely, I know that. That these are the people that God cares for and that he needs other people in the world to care for also. And I want to be a part of a team that is. That is helping in that way. So I don't know. I'm just thinking through, like, it is kind of hard because it's like.
[00:28:34.16] - Jeff Sherrod
Because there's not always a shared context.
[00:28:37.44] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah. And I think even still, sometimes we. I think we've grown so much in our relationship as. And I do actually think a big part of that is because the more that I've been on trips abroad, the more that she's been even on the other side of experiencing, like, communicating, whether it is from. Even from Ms. Kagi or from the institute, she's been able to experience, like, I think some peace even, and knowing, like, okay, they are. People are taking care of her. She's okay. She's gonna be fine. And then she's got to hear testimonies on the other side of me coming back from those trips. And so I think that there's been. Even though we might, like, have different trajectories in that way and maybe don't share, like, the same convictions, I think that she can see. See the. The fruit of what we're doing and what we. What God's word has been doing in my life and in, like, the world at large as we get to serve people abroad. So I think that. Yeah, I don't know. I think. I don't know.
[00:29:33.18] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah, I think that's helpful. I think it's also, like, I've. If I were to maybe even talk to other people I've talked to or I've said, hey, talking to your parents, share some of those practical concerns. But also, I don't think even if you don't share context, being able to say to someone, you know, I'm a believer in. I'm a person of God's Word. And God's word says. And then you were able to say, like, it's part of our historic mission to be Abraham's kids and not just be concerned about being blessed, but being a blessing to the nations. Or Isaiah 40, you know, Isaiah just says so clearly it's too small the thing for Israel just to be Israel.
[00:30:07.88] - Olivia Beaverson
Right?
[00:30:08.16] - Jeff Sherrod
Israel was here to be Israel to the nations. Like, helping people to see that this is not just an adventure for college students, but this is really something central to who we are as believers. And mission has always been central from, like, day one. Like, Jesus did this early on, had to go through Samaria, you know, like, not that. Didn't have to. Have to, but had to and had to meet this woman at a well.
[00:30:33.08] - Laurie Kagay
And his final words to his disciples.
[00:30:35.00] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah, final words to disciples. Go.
[00:30:36.65] - Laurie Kagay
This is what it is.
[00:30:37.45] - Jeff Sherrod
Go make disciples of the. Of. Of the nations, you know, and so, yeah, it's just so central to who you are. And I think if. If even parents and people that we love, they start to recognize, like, I'm not into this just for adventure or travel, or I have the travel bug, but this is part of. Part of what we are about, part of God's heart. And I. And sharing in God's heart means that we get concerned with the other nations. I think that people seeing that even kind of resolve can help be like, all right, man, this person's on mission. Like, what are you gonna do about it? Yeah, let's talk a little bit about if you guys were to give some advice to maybe prospective students. You know, Olivia, you've traveled maybe three times with us.
[00:31:16.56] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:31:16.89] - Jeff Sherrod
What it is, Mark? A couple times. You're. You're going this summer again, Mark?
[00:31:20.00] - Mark Olivera
I'm going.
[00:31:20.65] - Jeff Sherrod
Where are you headed to this summer?
[00:31:21.80] - Mark Olivera
To El Salvador again.
[00:31:23.21] - Jeff Sherrod
Love that. Are you. You're staying with us?
[00:31:24.73] - Olivia Beaverson
Staying here? Yep.
[00:31:25.41] - Jeff Sherrod
Nice. Awesome. So, yeah, maybe if someone was. You're talking to a high school student who's a prospective student, or maybe someone thinking about joining a college like ours that has admissions program. What kind of advice you guys given on. On this side?
[00:31:41.95] - Olivia Beaverson
I think I would tell them to not be intimidated. Like, to not to not be intimidated and not get in their head when it comes to, like, especially things like language barriers or different cultural things. Because I know that was my first trip abroad. I think I missed out on a lot of opportunities that if I were to go back and redo it again, I really could attribute a lot of it to being really just intimidated by feeling like. Yeah. Feeling like I wasn't gonna get the language right if I tried, and then just, like, feeling like I had to have everything right and I had to understand everything. I think that's where I would. I would probably give advice along those lines to, like, if you don't understand something, it's okay. Don't think that it's bad right away. Like, ask some questions and, you know, sit with it, pray with it. Don't be so quick to label something that's unfamiliar as bad and. And try to talk to people.
[00:32:36.77] - Jeff Sherrod
Just try.
[00:32:37.38] - Laurie Kagay
Yeah, try.
[00:32:38.94] - Olivia Beaverson
Don't feel like we have a student.
[00:32:40.53] - Laurie Kagay
A student here who. English is her fifth language, but she always tells us trying is free.
[00:32:45.18] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:32:46.14] - Laurie Kagay
And that's like, her phrase. But I always think of it like, it's free, guys. Not much is free. Trying is free.
[00:32:51.90] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:32:53.33] - Mark Olivera
Yeah. I would give something similar along the lines of just, like, just put your best effort forward and make sure that you're staying in the moment. Because getting into a new culture, when you go abroad, into another mission, it can be, like, confusing at first because, like, wow, these people are very different from me. But that's not a bad type of different. It's like, that's just the way they live their lives over there in whatever region you're going to visit. And so it's like, you just have to put your best effort forward and, like, trying to get to know them, trying to do these things because you. It's a learning process. Like, internship is kind of like that introduction of missions, and it's like, you're not gonna know how to do everything perfectly on internship. You will not do everything perfectly. On internship.
[00:33:37.90] - Laurie Kagay
Sometimes I hear students be like, I just don't want to make a mistake. And I'm like, you will. Yeah, I'm making one right now. I was like, if you don't make them, you. We wasted your time.
[00:33:49.66] - Mark Olivera
Yeah, the mistakes will come, and you just got to take that correction, take it well and learn from it. I know I had plenty of mistakes. We had a whole situation in on my last immersion trip in El Salvador, where we were trying to come up with the way to speed up meals because we were taking way too long. And so my immersion team, being from the United States, we're like, all right, let's just have sandwiches for lunch. You know, quick 20 minute lunch, get it done quick in and out. And our friends over there, the Salvadorians, they. They were. They're more indirect culture. And so they were kind of like, just like, not really say anything, but you can see they disagreed with it. And a few minutes later, we get a message from our person who was leading, facilitating our immersion. And she tells us like, hey, they are mad at you because you're trying to make them eat sandwiches every day.
[00:34:48.03] - Laurie Kagay
They are used to hot food.
[00:34:49.11] - Jeff Sherrod
We got stuff to do.
[00:34:50.75] - Mark Olivera
Just they're used to hot food. And. And we were just trying to speed things up because that's kind of like the American culture. Like, we got to get things done quickly in now. And she's like, you got to find a compromise between both of you guys, because this is not okay.
[00:35:06.80] - Jeff Sherrod
Great lesson. Great.
[00:35:07.92] - Mark Olivera
Yeah. Just people are going to make mistakes. You got to learn from them.
[00:35:13.13] - Jeff Sherrod
Yeah. That's awesome. Hey, well, I appreciate it, guys. Thanks for joining us today and looking forward to more testimony. Smart. Heading out. I mean, probably heading out soon here, right? Like, yeah, less than a month.
[00:35:22.69] - Mark Olivera
Prop date is May 17th.
[00:35:25.34] - Laurie Kagay
Wow.
[00:35:25.98] - Jeff Sherrod
So, yeah, we're recording this like in late April.
[00:35:28.86] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah, I'm like, what day is it.
[00:35:31.26] - Jeff Sherrod
Someday in late April. So, yeah, yeah, a lot. A lot of. We have a lot of our students headed out this summer. Maybe like close to.
[00:35:38.71] - Laurie Kagay
Oh, we have 47.
[00:35:40.23] - Jeff Sherrod
47 of our students. Yeah. Head out to summer.
[00:35:42.55] - Laurie Kagay
I don't think we've had that many.
[00:35:43.98] - Jeff Sherrod
There's a lot of people. So, yeah, if you are listening to this, we would appreciate your prayers. No, there's. There's a lot happening this summer and God's doing a lot. And I think Mark, you said it so well. We're joining what he's already doing in so many regions. Yeah, it's a great way of saying so. Yeah. If you're hearing this and you're thinking or wondering about missions, man, join. Join God.
[00:36:03.51] - Olivia Beaverson
Yeah.
[00:36:03.92] - Jeff Sherrod
It's like, that's the best thing you could do and your whole life is join God. Hey, thanks for joining us on College Conversations. And we'll see you guys next week. Thanks for joining us today on College Conversations. Please, like, subscribe share this episode with others. If you guys have a comment, we would love to hear from you. If you want to learn more about our work, you can visit us at theinstituteforgod. Edu. Until then, we'll see you guys next time.