Ally Bozema spent spring break on Dordt College mission project

2011 Apr 6

Ally Bozema of Bellevue, Neb., spent spring break in Toronto, Canada, while participating in PLIA (Putting Love Into Action), a mission program with Dordt College. Bozema is a sophomore majoring in K-12 education and Spanish.

The goal of PLIA is to share Christ's love with people in diverse communities; to challenge participants to adopt a more service-oriented lifestyle; and to assist and encourage the growth of ministry centers with which they work.

The Toronto team not only served the homeless, they were housed in the church where many homeless people sleep and shower during the cold winters, giving the team a unique perspective on the work that they were doing.

They spent the majority of their time leading a camp for children who live in government housing. They decorated the space, acted in skits, played games, and helped with crafts.

"I enjoy having a fun experience with a group of people I don't normally hang out with and serving in a city I am not familiar with," Caralyn Slagter, a sophomore, said of her PLIA experience. "I am amazed at what God shows me through service trips like these."

This year 135 students from Dordt College spent their spring break serving others. Groups of seven to ten students participated in PLIA, traveling to one of 15 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Teams went to Denver, Colo.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Atlanta, Ga.; Neon, Ky.; New Orleans, La.; Cary, Miss.; Jackson, Miss.; Mendenhall, Miss.; Bozeman, Mont.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Camden, N.J.; Shiprock, N.M.; Salt Lake City, Utah; Ansted, W.Va.; and Toronto, Canada.

To learn about the projects that the other teams participated in, visit www.dordt.edu.