By Luke Paglia · Photo Chief
After a grueling start to the spring semester, every student looks forward to spring break. This is an opportunity for rest, recharging and taking a pause from schoolwork. While many people would not consider Inter-Community Outreach (ICO) trips to be particularly physically restful, I think it is one of the best ways to find spiritual rest over break.
Along with at least 150 other people, I participated in an ICO trip over break. During these trips, groups of students go out into different communities across the world, spending time serving others and sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
A few ICO groups go out over the fall and winter breaks, but most groups go over spring break. The international trips include ICO Dominican Republic, which takes place over winter break, and ICO Guatemala and Lithuania, which take place over spring break. There are also several trips that remain in the U.S. They range as far west as Arizona and some even remain right in the Western Pennsylvania community, like ICO Aliquippa or ICO Rural Ministry. The past two years, I have been part of ICO Tucson, Ariz.
In Arizona, we partner with Life in Christ Church. They feed us and allow us to stay at the church to lower the cost of the trip. Throughout the week, we completed a couple projects at the church to help them out. We did some yard work, painted a couple of rooms and redid a few floors. The work that we did at the church allows them to continue to grow their congregation and to minister to the community in Tucson throughout the year.
In addition to serving at the church, we had the opportunity to go out and serve at a couple other ministries in Tucson. We spent one day at GAP Ministries, an organization that works with the underprivileged, homeless and foster kids and families throughout Tucson. They provide affordable food and clothing for people, as well as occupational development for individuals who are looking for that type
