International (MNN) — Mexico recently announced plans to
reopen schools that it closed to prevent the spread of the swine flu. According to the World Health Organization,
1124 people in 21 countries have been infected with the virus, but only 26 have
died.
However, swine flu still has the potential to impact summer
missions trips all over the world. It
may affect the summer ministries of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship,
especially its Global Project and Global Urban Trek programs.
InterVarsity has six Global Urban Treks planned for 2009:
three in southeast Asia, two in Cairo, and one in Mexico City. Each team will undergo training and
orientation before spending five weeks living and ministering in poor urban
communities. Students who go on Global
Urban Treks are serious about serving the poor and considering long-term
ministry to the poor.
Two Trek teams are scheduled to spend time in Mexico,
the country where the swine flu originated. The Mexico City team will spend the
entire trip there, and the Cairo team currently
plans to have its orientation in Mexico
City.
InterVarsity staff hope that the risks of swine flu will be
more clear in mid-May, when they need to make decisions about Global Urban
Trek. If safety from the virus is still
an issue at that time, InterVarsity will probably need to change travel plans
for Trek.
The swine flu may also impact InterVarsity's camp ministry
this summer. Pray for wisdom as
decisions are made and for guidance for believers as they seek to spread
the Gospel this summer.
