Leslie Center for Peace and Justice: Spring Break Mission Week: Welcome

Welcome | Current Teams | Proposal Process | Application Process and Forms | Selected Past Teams | Photo Gallery

ARE YOU INTERESTED in using your spring break to help others, to work for justice, and to grow spiritually? If so, then Spring Break Mission Week may be just what you're looking for. But what exactly do we mean by mission? Let's start with what we don't mean-we don't mean colonialism, imperialism, aggressive Christian proselytization, or a touristy vacation. What we do mean by mission is:

• A chance to engage with different cultures, to meet brothers and sisters from this country and around the world as equals, to get to know and learn from each other.
• A chance to offer the work of our hands and to pause and reflect on the experiences of each day.
• A chance to humble ourselves and realize that those we work with have as much to give as we do, to understand that our contribution will be smaller than we'd like.

In fact, our mission program is built on four pillars, four core values, around which all of our teams are designed.  They are:

Restorative Justice

We seek to gain awareness of, show respect for, and build relationships with people and cultures with whom we interact.  We seek to stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in a way that honors and restores the human dignity and sacred worth of all involved. We seek to become agents for justice on our campus and in our world.

Transformative Reflection

We seek to intentionally and thoughtfully reflect on our experiences and interactions.  We seek to bring our authentic spirituality to bear on what we learn.  We seek to be changed by our exposure to people and ideas beyond our own.  We seek to reflect as individuals and as a team, to learn and grow intellectually, socially, and spiritually.

Substantive Community

We seek, as a team, to develop into a close-knit community of mutual support.  We seek to learn to work together as a whole, to be greater than the sum of our parts.  We seek to bring what we learn and experience back to OWU for the enrichment of the whole campus community.

Leadership Development

We seek to call out the innate gifts and talents of each member of our team.  We seek to hone and develop those gifts and talents for the betterment of ourselves and each other.  We seek to learn how and where each of us is called to lead, how we might each add something unique and positive to our team's experience.

Still interested? Good. In that case, you can follow the links to find out what teams are slated for this year and how you can get involved. It's a big commitment. We'll be asking you for a lot of time in preparation, fundraising, and team meetings. But you're not doing it alone. There's a lot of support all the way through the process; and in the end, the experience is definitely worth the effort.