The two weeks Judson junior Laura Liddell spent in Niger changed her life.
“I cried the last two nights we were in Africa,” she said. “I didn’t want to come home. The time we spent praying with the people and telling them about Christ was so fulfilling. I have a heart for missions, and this trip was a wonderful opportunity to share God’s love.”
Liddell made the trip to Niger last spring with campus minister Meredith Davenport and other Judson students through the International Mission Board. The students worked with children in an orphanage, led backyard Bible clubs and taught Bible stories and Christian songs.
“The city of Niamey represented several different tribes,” Liddell said. “Most people spoke the tribal language Zerma. However, Niger had been a French colony, so a lot of the population spoke French. We were prepared to speak Zerma, but on our first day at the orphanage, we realized all the children spoke French. I’ve always been told that the best attitude to have on a missions trip is flexibility, and that is what we put into practice.”
The Judson team also practiced prayer walking as it prayed for the people in the village. Interestingly many of the Muslim villagers welcomed the Christian missionaries and asked them into their homes to pray for them.
Liddell said her previous missions trips have involved children — and she loves working with boys and girls — but on this trip, there was opportunity to witness to adults as well.
“I had a desire to build relationships with the men and women outside the orphanage — to pray for them and let them know why we were there,” she said. “After telling my thoughts and feelings to God, He gave me a change of heart. He told me, ‘These orphans don’t have anyone else — they have each other and you girls for a week.’ When God told me that, my heart just ached for those children.
“After that day, God opened up a door for me to go prayer walking in a nearby village. This is where we prayed over the sick and hurting and were welcomed into the homes. The villagers knew we were not praying to their god, Allah, but these people are so desperate and were so thankful that we took the time to pray for them,” she said.
Expressing convictions
Liddell has participated in several other missions trips while at Judson. She worked last summer as a counselor for girls at Camp Hollymont in Asheville, N.C.; went with the Judson Singers to England, Scotland and Wales in the spring of 2006 as a member of the handbell choir; and participated in the choir’s missions trip last spring to San Antonio and New Orleans.
Liddell completed her reign as Miss Judson last January. “It was a great honor to be Miss Judson,” Liddell said. “The Bible says we are to be ambassadors for Christ, and the pageant gave me opportunity to express my Christian convictions.”
‘Praying about future’
Liddell is the daughter of Van and Carol Liddell and a member of Camden Baptist Church. She graduated from Wilcox Academy in Camden, where she was chaplain for the Student Government Association and for her junior and senior classes.
Liddell said she considered other colleges but was encouraged to visit Judson by her employer, Sulynn Creswell of Black Belt Treasures in Camden. Creswell was dean of students at Judson until 1999.
“Mrs. Creswell told me Judson was a great place,” Liddell said. “I visited the school and when I set foot on campus, I knew this was where God wanted me to attend college.”
Liddell is majoring in elementary education with a minor in psychology. She serves on the chapel and Christian ministries committee and as senior class chaplain and is a member of Kappa Delta Epsilon honorary education fraternity.
“I’m praying about the future and about missions,” she said. “I’ll wait and see how God directs my life.” (JC)
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