BOLIVAR, Mo. – Southwest Baptist University’s Center for Global Connections honored an SBU employee and an SBU alumnus with its annual Nations Award during the Global Connections Week Chapel service on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The award recognizes an SBU employee and alumnus who have been an integral part of the CGC purpose of promoting ministry, education and missionary development on SBU’s campus.
“These individuals are recognized today for their significant impact in the lives of SBU’s CGC participants and making a great impact in sharing the love of Jesus Christ with others,” said Diana Gallamore, director of the CGC and travel stewardship.
Kurt Caddy, director of university ministries, was the employee recipient of the CGC
Nations Award “for exceptional service in the forgotten corners of the world.”
“This award recognizes outstanding missionaries,” said Kelly Rehm, assistant director of the Center for Global Connections. “Missionaries are not the type of people who seek recognition. In fact, they are content to be forgotten. Their treasures are not here on earth but waiting for them in eternity.
“This year’s SBU employee recipient has a passion for advocating for the first Americans. He truly loves and enjoys these people, their stories, their art, and their history. This spark was first kindled by reading ‘The Arrogance of Ignorance,’ which explained the plight and generational poverty of the Lakota people, and further by the book and movie, ‘I Buried My Heart at Wounded Knee.’
“His love for these people is contagious. Several hundred students and employees of the SBU family have traveled to South Dakota since 2010. They each return with love for the Lakota and as life-long advocates. Lakota people have traveled here to SBU, and SBU is a friend of the Lakota due to this man. “He is a leader of missionaries, and has been vital to growing the SBU Center for Global Connections’ missions effort to one of the largest, if not the largest, mobilizing and sending universities in the USA.”
Caddy said not only was he surprised by the honor but thankful, as well.
“The Center for Global Connections continues to set the pace for collegiate short-term mission mobilization,” Caddy said. “I am truly honored to have been chosen as a Nations award recipient. Thanks to the CGC, and may God continue to be exalted and glorified among the nations.”
Anna Gray, a 2019 graduate in exercise science and current doctor of physical therapy
student from Bowling Green, Ky., was the alumni recipient.
Gray was active in CGC missions as both a participant and a leader during her undergraduate years at SBU. Gray participated and led mission teams to Cheyenne River, South Dakota and the local Catalyst mission.
“We wouldn't be surprised to see her serving on a Lakota reservation for a longer time frame in the future,” Gallamore said. “The Lakota people are very near and dear to her heart.
“I had the special privilege of meeting with this young lady on a weekly basis as she led our teams. Her heart of service is evident as she gives of her time, her energy, and her talents and abilities to other students on this campus. She truly exemplifies servant leadership as she leads.
“Fittingly, she led the Catalyst team whose purpose is to bring mission awareness to our campus. Her life itself is a testimony of God’s love for others and her heart for missions is seen in the smile she presents to everyone she meets.”
Gray said she was “beyond honored” to receive the alumni Nations Award.
“The Lord has been and continues to be so gracious to me,” Gray said. “I am thankful that He led me to SBU and allowed me to serve in South Dakota. These experiences have grown me tremendously and allowed me to build relationships that will last for the rest of my life.
“My time at SBU and serving in South Dakota have helped make me the woman I am today, and I will forever be grateful for that.”
Global Fest
The SBU Center for Global Connections held its semester Global Fest on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to highlight the upcoming 2020-2021 CGC mission projects.
Twenty-four mission projects were presented, and participants in attendance were able to visit each booth to learn more about the specific mission, taste some cultural food, see pictures of past teams’ ministry, and receive information on how they can be involved in an SBU mission.
The night was filled with great conversations about what God is doing among the nations. Each person who attended picked up a ‘passport’ and then visited each booth and was able to receive CLW points. Many participants signed up for an appointment with the team leader in the coming week for the purpose of considering a CGC mission.
All the SBU CGC projects 2020-2021 were represented at Global Fest. Those currently
recruiting include: Polk County, Disaster Relief, Community Outreach Ministries, Wild
At Heart, Exodus, Leviticus 19:32, House of Hope, Catalyst, Philippines, SBU Glocal,
Baja, South Dakota, Honduras, Colombia, Pyrenees, Thailand, Transnistria, Utah, Windermere,
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Panama, Contact and Poland.
To learn more about the Center for Global Connections, please contact the CGC office at (417) 328-1900.
PHOTO 1: Kurt Caddy receives the employee CGC Nations Award.
PHOTO 2: Anna Gray receives the alumni CGC Nations Award.
GLOBAL FEST PHOTOS (Photo credit: Samm Piper, SBU student): Visitors to Global Fest
check out a few of the mission projects’ booths.
*Published: 9-17-2020