Middle East Provides Service Opportunity

by Kathryn Sill, Public Relations Writer – March 2, 2016

A group of athletic training students and staff will work in the Middle East over spring break.

A group of students and staff from Cedarville University’s athletic training program will have the unique opportunity to serve others in the Middle East during spring break.

Through Cedarville’s Global Outreach program, the group will work with high school administrators and soccer coaches to educate them on basic first aid and athletic training services.

The group will provide instruction on nutrition, taping, splinting, wound care and concussion protocols.



Junior Michael Kuo (Lewisburg, West Virginia) and seniors Ransom Bearden (Sheridan, Wyoming), Kyle Cherry (New Lenox, Illinois), Daniel Herring (Rochester, New York) and Matthew Kuo (Lewisburg, West Virginia) are the five students who will travel to the Middle East.

They will be accompanied by Rebecca Stokes (’14), assistant athletic trainer, and Lisa Martin (’96), M.Ed., ATC, tour director and athletic trainer at Athletes in Action (AIA) in Xenia, Ohio.

Martin was a member of the first graduating class of the athletic training program at Cedarville and served as an associate athletic trainer at her alma mater before joining AIA.

“We first found out about the opportunity to go to the Middle East at the beginning of last semester during a weekly department meeting,” Stokes said. “As soon as I heard about the opportunity, I wanted to go.”

While preaching the Gospel is prohibited in many parts of the Middle East, the group knows that by serving others in small ways, they’ll be able to show the love of Christ.

“I love the ministry platform that athletic training provides,” Herring said. “While we may be limited in how much we can share the Gospel while we are there, we have an opportunity to serve others in a way that displays Christ’s love.”

While the focus of the trip will be on teaching others and perhaps sharing the Gospel if circumstances allow, the students are also looking forward to how the trip will help them develop as individuals.

“Ultimately, whatever happens is all a part of God’s plan,” said Michael Kuo. “I am looking forward to being immersed in a new culture with the opportunity to share the Gospel and becoming a better teacher and leader.”

For more information on Cedarville’s Global Outreach programs, visit www.cedarville.edu/Christian-Ministries/Global-Outreach.

Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,711 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.