By DAVID MURIMI

Staff Writer

Members from the Wesley Foundation will travel to Pensacola, Fla., Nov. 18-23 to help clean up debris left by the flood of hurricanes that tore through the area.

"As Christians we see a need, and we feel obligated to meet that need," Amanda Hood, an intern at the Wesley Foundation, said.

The group will clean debris out of people's homes and businesses, and members of the Wesley Foundation hope to collect food, toys and clothing to take with them to donate to the people of Pensacola.

"The group will basically be doing cleanup and might have an opportunity to lead worship at the First United Methodist Church in Pensacola Sunday morning," Gregory Angel, an intern at the Wesley, said.

"[The Wesley] is there to help with disaster relief and get those peoples' lives back to normal since they have lost so much already."

Students like Alice Dean, a sophomore speech pathology major, feel they have more to offer than relief supplies.

"Talking with those people and praying for them and letting them vent their problems is more important to me than going and building houses and giving food," Dean said.

Jonathan Bevil, a senior electrical engineering technology major, said he agrees with Dean in that he believes in giving of himself to help the hurricane victims of Pensacola.

He said the trip will help him gain a sense of knowledge that God is working in the people of Pensacola, and that is what he wishes to gain from his first mission trip.

"To see relief and joy in the people is worth dropping anything to go and help," Bevil said.

Angel said it costs about $100 to go on the trip and students can sign up at the last minute.

"We are carpooling for the six-day trip right after classes finish for a whole day," Hood said.

Angel said as a group they will stay in the First United Methodist Church in Pensacola and sleep on the floor.

Angel also said, depending on the amount of damage, the group may split into teams to work in different areas.

Hood said this is not the first time the Wesley has done mission trips, and the Wesley usually takes a trip abroad in the spring and a smaller trip within the United States in the fall.

"Last year we went to an inner city in Houston, Texas, and in the summer we went to South Africa and Costa Rica," Hood said.

Angel said the summer trips are usually 14 to 30 days and are more intense because of time, people and devotion, while the fall trips are cheaper and smaller in groups and distance.

Dean said a big part of his life has been missions already, and this trip will enhance his experience and let him share the love of God with others.