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HU students go on with mission trip to Paris despite terrorist attack there

Eleven Huntington University students proceeded to carry out their plans of a mission trip to Paris, France, despite hearing of the terrorist attacks at the Charlie Hebdo magazine shortly before boarding the plane on Jan. 7. They are (front row, from left) Connor Knight-Morrow, Larissa Walker, Hannah Barrett, Caitlin Trainer, (second row, from left) Joshua Walker, Sam Barrett, Melanie Clemens, Maggie Gilliam, Lauren Frischman, Alyssa Eddy and Larkayla Mosley.
Eleven Huntington University students proceeded to carry out their plans of a mission trip to Paris, France, despite hearing of the terrorist attacks at the Charlie Hebdo magazine shortly before boarding the plane on Jan. 7. They are (front row, from left) Connor Knight-Morrow, Larissa Walker, Hannah Barrett, Caitlin Trainer, (second row, from left) Joshua Walker, Sam Barrett, Melanie Clemens, Maggie Gilliam, Lauren Frischman, Alyssa Eddy and Larkayla Mosley. Photo provided.

Eleven Huntington University students continued on with their plans to do Christian ministry in Paris, France, despite the knowledge that acts of terrorism had taken the lives of 12 people approximately a mile from where they were planning to stay.

The news came to them on Jan. 7 during a 24-hour flight delay due to weather.

“We were at the Indianapolis airport getting ready to leave for Paris,” says team leader Caitlin Trainer. “The words ‘terrorist attack’ made me feel terrified, but once I got further details, I understood that the attack was targeted at a specific business and felt less afraid.”

Trainer is a senior at the university studying communication studies along with missions and TESOL. She has been to France multiple times and hopes to return after graduation to be a missionary.

Trainer says the knowledge that the attack was targeted at the office of Charlie Hebdo Magazine and against anti-Muslim cartoons and satire rather than the general public allowed her to decide to go on with the trip as planned.

“After second guessing the trip, I decided to stick with the plan because I was assured by our site coordinators in Paris that it was safe to travel to the city,” Trainer says. “The rest of the team was also worried and concerned at first, but like me, they all felt assured after hearing from our site coordinators, who were in the city on the day of the attack.”

Now in Paris with the rest of the attacks and hostage situations settled, Trainer says that the team feels safe and that the atmosphere in France has changed little from her past experiences in the country.

“There are more armed policemen walking around and more sirens,” says Trainer. “Some of the touristy spots like the Notre Dame have started checking bags before entrance. Yesterday, the citizens of Paris did a peace march across the city.”

“Other than that,” Trainer says, “life seems to be going on as usual.”

The team has also changed little of its itinerary. The changes that occurred were due to the initial weather delay, as well as large groups of people traveling to join the peace march.

“The plan was to come to France for two weeks and do ministry through feeding the homeless, teaching English, building relationships, connecting with young Christians, and hosting an art expo with art from one of my team members,” Trainer says. “The only thing that we’ve had to do differently is not take the Metro yesterday during the peace march because we heard that they would be too crazy.”

The team of students will return to the United States later this month as planned to start spring semester classes at Huntington University.