Springfield, MO - Evangel University's men's and women's cross country teams returned Aug. 22 from Trujillo, Peru where they performed community service projects and started their preseason workouts.

Evangel's cross country teams built a playground for the Hogar De Esperenza Orphanage in Trujillo, assisted with vacation bible school services, and organized recreational activities for the children of the orphanage. The orphanage serves approximately 40 children.

Ten team members of the men's and women's cross country teams made the trip along with head coach Lynn Bowen, Dr. Keith Hardy, chair of Evangel University's Kinesiology Department and John Shows, professor emeritus from Evangel University.

It was the first international trip for the cross country program and marked the second time in the summer an Evangel athletics team has made a trip abroad. The Crusaders baseball team played a series of exhibition games and performed missions work in Mexico earlier this summer.

Evangel's cross country teams open the season on Sept. 10 at the University of Central Missouri.