For the second consecutive year, Dr. Bill Jordan, professor and chair of the mechanical engineering department, led a mission trip to Musanze, Rwanda.

The mission included seven engineering student volunteers who worked to build a water purification system for the high school section of Sonrise School. The Christian K-12 school, populated with a majority of students who are genocide or AIDS orphans, was founded in 2001 by Bishop John Rucyahana, the Anglican Bishop of Shirya, Rwanda, and the nonprofit group Bridge2Rwanda that he cofounded.

The water purification system was designed last spring in the engineering senior design class. As part of the project, the group also installed a solar panel system used to power the water purifier. Before, Sonrise School had to boil all water before it could be used. The system was installed for use in the cafeteria for cooking, as well as for drinking. The system that was installed works by shining ultraviolet light through the water in order to kill bacteria.

Working with Bridge2Rwanda meant this trip was about more than just engineering. The mission of Bridge2Rwanda, as stated on its website, is “to build a bridge from our world to Rwanda and transform lives at both ends.” This was ultimately the same goal Jordan had for his students.

The students, handpicked by Jordan, were chosen because they are committed to using their skills to help others and were interested in helping Christians who had a poorer quality of life.

“We want to make a positive difference in the lives of the people of Rwanda, but I want my students to be different as well,” Jordan said. “I think our students were profoundly affected by this trip, in terms of seeing how they can use their skills to help people.”

The team worked closely with the faculty of Sonrise School to ensure the completed project was important to the students of the school. This allowed for a lot of informal interaction between Baylor and Sonrise School students. Many times students of Sonrise School gathered to watch and ask questions about what was being done and how the system worked.

This summer, Sealy MBA student David Fait was selected as team leader for the mission because of his experience working at Sonrise School with Jordan in 2009. He was also the project manager for the senior design project that created the purification system.

Fait appreciated his time in Rwanda more this time, due in part to his previous knowledge of the country and school, and also to the increased amount of time he was able to spend with the students.

The team was also able to spend time playing soccer, volleyball and basketball with the students while waiting for parts for the system to be delivered. This interaction was where the mission aspect of the trip came into play.

“Interacting with the students and hearing their dreams and aspirations is really what gives you hope for the nation,” Fait said.

The people of Rwanda are still recovering from the genocide of 1994.

The team was able to visit the Genocide Memorial in Kigali on their first full day in the country.

“This was a very hard time for our students, but it helped them to understand the need for the Christian development that is occurring at the Sonrise School,” Jordan said in a report sent to donors and supporters of the trip.

“The people there are incredible; the turnaround from what happened in 1994 to now is just incredible,” Fait said. He described his trips to Rwanda as life-changing and said he could definitely see himself working for a nonprofit that does engineering mission work abroad after graduation.

Baylor Missions sent 12 teams to eight locations this past summer and will potentially have 20 teams in 12 locations next summer.

Trips are led by Baylor faculty and staff and applications are open to all Baylor students with a desire to serve others.

“The impact is made on the students who are transformed by these experiences,” Rebecca Kennedy, associate chaplain and director for Missions, said. “They go and see the hope and possibilities and are changed because of it.”

Applications for students to participate in mission trips are available on the Baylor Spiritual Life website and informational meetings will take place throughout the semester.