PHILADELPHIA (BRN) – Every year, hundreds of thousands of college students travel somewhere warm and sunny for spring break. As appealing as that sounds, our students chose a different path this year — one focused on serving others and making a difference in the name of Jesus.
We partnered with PA/SJ Disaster Relief and DevelopTioga.org to help with flood damage cleanup in Westfield, Pennsylvania. If you talk to anyone from Tioga County, they’ll quickly share stories of the devastation they’ve experienced — three major floods in just two years.
Our home base was First Baptist Church of Ulysses, where we were incredibly well cared for with housing, hot showers and plenty of breakfast casseroles and sweet treats to fuel long days of work.
Each day, we loaded into vans and headed out to our job sites. Most of the work involved garage cleanouts and mucking out areas beneath manufactured homes. We worked hard — using brooms, rakes, shovels, and blowers — to move dirt, clear debris, sort belongings and help families begin to restore order to their homes.
What stood out most, though, were the stories. Homeowners shared how quickly the floodwaters rose and how much they had lost. In each place, we had the opportunity to pray with families and remind them they are not alone.
One especially powerful moment came when a local resident gifted one of our students a 2012 Ford Fusion. This student had been faithfully praying for reliable transportation, and with tears in his eyes, he received this unexpected provision from God. Watching him drive back to campus in that car was a moment none of us will forget.
Beyond the work sites, God was at work within our team as well. Each night, we gathered for worship, Bible study and meaningful, Gospel-centered conversations. These moments helped deepen relationships and strengthen faith.
In our free time, we explored some of God’s beautiful creation — hiking the Pine Creek Gorge (often called the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania”), enjoying a cookout at a local family’s cabin and visiting Cherry Springs State Park, known as one of the best stargazing locations in the world. Standing under a sky full of stars, we were reminded of God’s power, creativity and faithfulness.
We return home incredibly grateful — grateful that God allowed us to serve, to bring hope and to be part of what He is doing in the lives of others. There is something deeply meaningful about stepping out to give, only to realize how much we receive in return.
Thank you for your generous support and faithful prayers. Trips like this are only possible because of you — and your prayers truly make a difference.
Learn more about how you can support Brady Rennix and other collegiate missionaries throughout PA/SJ here. Follow along for more stories of what God is doing on the Greater Philadelphia College Campuses and throughout PA and SJ here. View the BRN’s collegiate ministry page here.
