Lindsay Blake
When Andrew Dickerson—a university professor with a rare break between semesters—looked at his calendar, he had options. He could rest. He could travel. He could take a well-earned vacation.
Instead, he chose Zimbabwe.
After a personally difficult yet deeply formative year, Andrew wanted to mark the season with something meaningful. A mission trip offered more than a change of scenery—it offered a reset for the soul and a chance to keep growing while serving God’s Kingdom.
Once on the ground, there was no such thing as a “normal” day.
Some days were spent at the Emthunzini Wethemba Children’s Home—repairing broken windows, hanging swings, grilling food, and laughing with the boys who live there. Other days included hospital visits, home visits, and playing with children at an orphanage for kids five and under. Thanks to the leadership of Pastor Mangwende, Andrew experienced a wide range of ministry moments that showed him just how much God can do through simple obedience.
One moment that stuck with him? Watching the boys play endlessly on the swings he helped hang.
“It goes to show how the simple things that enable play can bring so much joy,” Andrew shared.
Another unforgettable moment came during a hospital visit, where the team met a woman named Caroline who had been without vital medication for months due to lack of funding. The solution wasn’t complicated—they went to the pharmacy, bought the medicine, prayed with her, shared the gospel, and reminded her she was deeply loved by people she had never met.
Throughout the trip, Andrew’s practical skills came in handy—but God was also doing quieter work. Each day required patience, openness, and trust.
“Trips like these aren’t fun in the same way vacations are,” Andrew reflected, “but they are equally memorable—and more beneficial.”
As he heads home, Andrew is carrying two things with him: generosity and gratitude. And when asked how he’d encourage others to serve, his answer was simple and honest: “Get outside your comfort zone—even for just a moment. The first step is the hardest.”
Maybe that first step is yours.
Whether you gather a group of friends, students, coworkers, or go solo as a Global Ambassador, mission trips create space for God to move—in the world and in you.
