hezbon.profile.081With nearly 40 international students at Bethel, do you ever wonder where they go over Christmas break? While most traditional students will head home next week to spend the holidays with family and friends, only about 50 percent of international students will be able to do so due to high travel cost or time-consuming immigration conflicts.

Some internationals even spend years at a time away from home, so when they can finally go home, they take full advantage of the time they have with their loved ones.

When Hesbon Mwangi (’12) returns home to Kenya, however, his journey is rarely about just spending time with his friends and family. He also likes to spend some of his time doing mission work and serving others, just like he did during his last trip to Kenya with Granger Missionary Church (GMC).

Determined to go home this year, Mwangi saved up enough to return to Kenya for the first time since that trip over a-year-and-a-half ago. He is looking forward to seeing his mom, friends and the native wildlife; however, he also has a special plan for this particular five-week visit.

Mwangi will return to his former high school to surprise them with gently used and new soccer equipment for both the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams. He has spent the past few months collecting 30 pair of cleats, 30 uniforms and 10 soccer balls. The equipment was donated by members of the men’s soccer team and other Bethel students, as well as the GMC family.

“I am doing this project out of love, care and concern for others,” says Mwangi. “Plus it is always good to give back to the community. My ultimate goal is [to make this] the beginning of a helping habit; it will be an honor to give hope to someone else with the little I have.”

The donations will be transported overseas in two personal luggage bags. Any excess equipment will be shipped, if necessary.