By Ariel C. Emberton, student news writer, Office of University Communication

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - “A paycheck covers the first two days. The last 28 rely on faith,” Dr. Twyla Hernandez, associate professor of Christian missions, said at the Campbellsville University's Women's Alliance Brunch.

Hernandez spoke about the hardships faced within Cuba at the Women's Alliance Brunch Nov. 3 in the Winters Dining Hall.

Hernandez spoke about the mission work CU is doing across the world but mainly in Cuba. Hernandez said everyone in the world deals with need, but the people of Cuba are on a new level of need.

Hernandez travels to Cuba frequently and helps set up churches, teach students and develop more institutions. Cuba currently has around 600 churches and 1,000 house churches.

When Hernandez goes to Cuba, the team she works with focuses on getting the people who want an education into their schools in Cuba and mission work. A three-year program is set up for students in Cuba and after each year they receive a different certification. The program is also set up to where one year only costs $150 per student and is covered by sponsors and donations.

When they return to Cuba in December, the team will be able to give the students a notebook, which is a rare luxury. They also collect donations before the trip because much of what we take for granted, such as pens, paper, ibuprofen, Band-Aids, etc., are almost non-existent in Cuba.

The team will leave on Dec. 12 to go to Cuba again and take whatever donations they have received.

Anyone who wants to make a donation can contact Hernandez at tkhernandez@campbellsville.edu. For someone specifically looking to make a financial donation, they can visit www.instituto-biblico.org and make a donation through Paypal.

Women's Alliance is led by Debbie Carter, president of Women's Alliance, assistant to the president and the first lady of Campbellsville University. One of the major projects of the Women's Alliance is to raise money for the student emergency fund as well as a scholarship fund.

The emergency fund is set aside, separate from scholarships, and used only for student emergencies. If a student needs to get home quickly, due to death, illness or a variety of other personal family matters, but is unable to afford a plane ticket, Women's Alliance would pay for their travel expenses.

Each semester, Women's Alliance recognizes a section of Campbellsville University; the School of Theology was featured this semester.

Two students, Michaela Wright, a junior of Greensburg, and Lindsey Magruder, a junior of Campbellsville, both gave their testimonies and spoke about how much CU has impacted and changed their lives.

Wright talked about how she originally didn't want to go to CU but God had other plans. The university Wright originally planned to attend presented her family with a larger financial burden than they were looking for so she gave in and came on a tour of CU.

While visiting, Wright sat in on one of Hernandez's classes. Wright said Hernandez was talking about her favorite book that day, the Book of Job. It was in Hernandez's class that Wright said her life was changed.

Magruder said, “I came here not knowing what I needed to do but knowing I needed to be here.” Since coming to CU, Magruder has been on mission trips, become a part of Church Outreach and spoken in several churches.

Both students thanked the organization for allowing them to share their testimonies and thanked the women for all the support they give to CU.

Dr. Jennifer Garrison, assistant professor of educational ministries, was one of the two staff members to speak at the brunch. Garrison spoke about how God used CU to change her life. As a professor, Garrison said CU “sets up students in a way where they can see God working in their life.”

Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 10,000 students offering more than 90 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The university has off-campus centers in Kentucky cities Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with Kentucky instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville, and nationally in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay, Jacksonville, Fla. and Chicago. The university also has a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.