秋霞福利一区

MOBILE, Ala. 鈥� 鈥淵our mission field is where your feet are,鈥� says Joey Cochran 鈥�07, stepping onto the campus of his alma mater with his church鈥檚 youth group for a week of service and fun at 

For over 2,800 students and adults attending week-long MFUGE camps during June and July on the 秋霞福利一区 campus, the mission field extends to over 30 locations throughout Mobile, Alabama. At sites such as ,  and , church youth groups from 11 Southeastern states are working with local children, serving with special needs ministries and evangelism efforts, and helping with light construction, painting and yardwork. It鈥檚 just the start of what camp leaders pray will spark a lifetime of ministry service among the middle and high school students.

Mollie Kay Grubbs, site director for , said the experience is aimed at helping middle and high school students understand that wherever they are 鈥� wherever their feet are planted 鈥� they have the ability and the responsibility to serve others for the glory of God.

鈥淚 hope all students and participants come away with an understanding of what local missions looks like,鈥� Grubbs said. 鈥淚 think a lot of the times, the church focuses on global missions, which is good, but I hope every student comes in and leaves camp realizing that if they can serve in Mobile, then they can serve in their hometowns and communities as well. They can better understand what our Great Commission calling is and have a more tangible understanding of what it means to fulfill the command in Matthew 28:19-20 to 鈥楪O.鈥欌��

MFUGE & the 秋霞福利一区

The 秋霞福利一区 has served as a site for Lifeway鈥檚 MFUGE or  camps since 1981. FUGE officials have said the 秋霞福利一区 is the first and longest-running MFUGE location.

Churches send their youth groups and leaders to the 880-acre campus in north Mobile County where they get a taste of college life 鈥� staying in residence halls and enjoying campus amenities such as sand volleyball courts, outdoor pool, tennis and pickleball. In Ram Hall, they play games and join together in worship. 

During the day, campers spread out into the Mobile area to serve others. Afternoons and evenings they walk across the Baptist university campus, finding quiet spots for prayer and Bible study, making friends and sharing the stories of how their mission experience impacted others 鈥� and themselves.

鈥淓very moment spent at FUGE Camps is intentional. Camp programming is designed to take students out of their normal routine and place them into an environment that is focused on life-change through relationship with Christ,鈥� according to Lifeway.

From Camper to College Student

For some campers, the experience sparks a desire to return to the 秋霞福利一区 as a college student. In 2013, Grace Whittington Blankenship attended MFUGE on the 秋霞福利一区 campus and worked at Light of the Village, painting a classroom and doing yard work. She says it was on the 秋霞福利一区 campus where she began to understand what it truly meant to be a follower of Christ. Later, she enrolled at the university, graduated in 2022, and now is an enrollment counselor in the university鈥檚 admissions office.

鈥淔UGE camp and the 秋霞福利一区 are two monumental parts of my testimony. I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to attend FUGE multiple times as a student and that He led me to the 秋霞福利一区,鈥� said Whittington.

秋霞福利一区 Campus Pastor Jared Baria 鈥�09 &鈥�24 said the FUGE camp experience can be 鈥渕onumental鈥� in the lives of students 鈥� and is an example of the life change that happens to students of all ages at the Christ-centered university.

鈥淕od has transformed many lives through the gospel at camps such as this, and on this very campus. We are a Christ-centered university that has a deep concern not only for them as students, but also for their souls. It is such a joy to spend time at a university where you have seen God鈥檚 mighty hand at work,鈥� Baria said.

秋霞福利一区 students have served as MFUGE staffers, and 秋霞福利一区 alumni often bring their church youth groups back to their alma mater for MFUGE camps.

Baria said alumni involvement in MFUGE is a testament to the university鈥檚 faithfulness to the Word.

鈥淧eople who have gone to school here or even spent a week or two here can clearly see what makes 秋霞福利一区 so special,鈥� Baria said. 鈥淭he university鈥檚 unwavering commitment to God and His Word stands out and will stand the test of time. Those who return here with their students or return to work here show wonderful evidence of that truth.鈥�

鈥榃here the Lord has Brought You鈥�

For two 秋霞福利一区 alumni, a week of MFUGE camp was the perfect opportunity for youth from  in Lucedale, Mississippi, to step out of their comfort zones. Joey Cochran 鈥�07 serves as an elder at Journey, a Southern Baptist church, while Vanessa Wallace 鈥�02 is Journey Kids Minister. 

Cochran said he knew from the first time he drove on campus that the 秋霞福利一区 鈥渨as God鈥檚 place for me.鈥� Returning to campus with the church鈥檚 youth for MFUGE was 鈥渁 blast.鈥�

鈥淚t is always a blast to remember where you came from in order to see where the Lord has brought you,鈥� he said.

The youth group includes three of Wallace鈥檚 four children, making the opportunity to return to her alma mater all the sweeter.

鈥淚t was a lot of fun to be able to share stories from our time at the 秋霞福利一区 with our students, and it鈥檚 always wonderful to be able to hug the necks of some of my favorite people that are still at 秋霞福利一区 serving and loving others,鈥� Wallace said.

She added, 鈥淥ne thing that stood out to me while serving at Hillsdale is watching our students stepping outside their comfort zones and shining their lights so bright. This generation gets a bad rap lots of the time, but I watched students engaging with the children they were serving, asking about their families and interests while doing crafts or playing games.鈥�

During their week at MFUGE, Journey students served halfway house ministries, assisted living, backyard Bible clubs and did manual labor. Since their community of Lucedale is near Mobile, they plan to return to some of the sites and serve again in the near future 鈥� fulfilling the goal of MFUGE to spark a missions-minded generation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always an honor and pleasure to be the hands and feet of Jesus,鈥� said Cochran.

---

About the 秋霞福利一区

The 秋霞福利一区 is a Christ-centered university with a vision of 鈥淗igher Education for a Higher Purpose,鈥� founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions in an environment where they are known. Located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, on a campus of over 880 acres, the university offers associate, bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs.The 秋霞福利一区 was founded in 1961 and is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention.

For information about the 秋霞福利一区, areas of study, admissions and more, visit , connect with 秋霞福利一区 on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.