Foreign Languages Travel Opportunities

The department provides the following language and cultural experiences:

 

Work/Study Tour

The Latin American Work/Study Tour is a summer program in May and June combining four to five weeks of evangelistic campaigns with language and culture study in Peru or another Latin American country. Students are guided in how to teach Bible studies during the semester prior to the trip. It may be possible to earn credits for participation. This opportunity is available for students who have completed at least SPAN 2020.

Students with two or more years of college Spanish or the equivalent speaking ability train during the academic year learning the culture and personal evangelism skills in Spanish. They then go on summer campaigns to Latin America.

For years, our department's summer campaigns went to Venezuela. However, due to the political situation there, other countries have also been visited. The group in 2002 went to Comitán, Mexico, and in recent years we have focused on Lima, Peru.

This is an opportunity to co-labor with the Latin American brethren in a time period dedicated to extensive emphasis on individual Bible studies. We have discovered that the "one-on-one" approach yields much fruit and contributes to solid church growth. Upon arrival in our cities, we visit with currently enrolled Bible correspondence course students and set up personal studies with them.

The area is very receptive. As students of Spanish, or as individuals with Spanish speaking skills, we are able to begin working immediately, teaching and communicating with Latin Americans in their native tongue.

We work under the leadership of local missionaries and national preachers.

A great door of opportunity is open to us in this yearly work. Please plan to help us, whether by joining us during the summer, or by providing support to those who will be members of our team.
--Philippians 4:17.

Overseeing Congregation for Latin American summer campaigns: The College Church of Christ, Searcy, Arkansas

Address for reference:
Harding University
Latin American Missions
HU 10897
Searcy, AR 72143
Email: avaconley@compuserve.com

Campaigns (mostly in Venezuela) have been conducted every summer since 1978. In the past 25 years, well over 1,000 people have been added to the Lord's church either as a direct or as an indirect result of the Harding campaigns or work activities. At least six congregations have been established through contacts made in these efforts.

Latin American campaigns have been held in (not in order):
The Venezuelan cities of Caracas, Cumaná, Barcelona, Ciudad Guayana, Maracay, San Felipe, Barquisimeto, Cabudare, Maracaibo, Cabimas, Mérida, San Cristobal, Valera, and Margarita Island; Comitan, Mexico; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Lima, Peru.

The French Work/Study Tour is a summer program combining seven weeks of evangelistic campaigns with French language and culture study in the French-speaking countries of Europe. (This program is not offered every summer; consult the department.)

The French program Face à Face provides an opportunity for upper level French students to be immersed in the culture and language of French-speaking Europe while earning class credits. The program is 5-6 weeks long, with a possible extension into the summer campaign program. Students sign contracts to speak French for 8+ hours per day on the trip, and are engaged in multiple opportunities to build relationships with other young adults in French-speaking countries. While students visit several landmark sites and notable tourist locations in Geneva, Switzerland, Paris, France and other areas, the emphasis for Face à Face is on connections made between people and cultures. Students are exposed to unique opportunities during Face à Face, including a one day apprenticeship in the interpreting booth at the United Nations Embassy. For more information, use the contact info listed below.

 

Study Abroad

Harding's International Programs provide opportunities for study abroad where language practice can be continued:

The Harding University in Latin America program (HULA) cooperates with International Programs to offer a semester of Spanish in South America every spring. HULA students live and study in Arequipa, Peru. Field trips include Patagonia, Easter Island, Buenos Aires, Nazca, Lima, Lake Titicaca and the Colca Canyon, Cusco, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon rain forest. Watch the HULA Film, an exciting documentary featuring our Latin America program.

Harding University in Florence (HUF) allows students to live in an authentic 16th century villa in Italy. Field trips include Cinque Terre, Rome and Southern Italy, and a Eurail pass provides students extensive travel opportunities throughout Europe. HUF is available during fall, spring and summer semesters. Watch videos of HUF.

Other international experiences include periodic spring break campaigns or cultural tours to Central or South America or Spain.

Contact Information


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