For the sixth year in a row, a team from Regent University's Center for Global Missions traveled to Ghana.

But what may seem "old hat" to many, School of Divinity (DIV) associate professor, Dr. Clifton Clarke, entered the remote nation again with the same enthusiasm. Clarke is a veteran missionary, having traveled to remote areas of the world spreading the Gospel for 15 years.

Yet, for him, it's a new experience every time.

"As long as I can travel as a missionary, teach other people and be involved with evangelism locally, I'm a happy trooper really," said Clarke, leaning back in his office chair.

He breathes a larger-than-life passion into the air with the distinctive lilt of his voice and his passion for eliminating the "fly-by-night" method of short-term missions work.

"It's never a good idea just to go to one place when they'll never see you again," said Clarke.

This year's Global Missions team traveled to Accra, Ghana, where a "cohesive team" of DIV, School of Communication & the Arts (SCA) and School of Business & Leadership (SBL) students immersed themselves in the practice of combining missions with furthering their education.

"Education isn't just by your head, it's by your heart," said Clarke. "Students capture their vision for what they want for their lives. It's fantastic."

While students were immersed in putting Regent's timeless, "Christian Leadership," slogan into practice, Clarke ensured he maintained the relationships he's built in Accra throughout the years. In particular, he highlighted a young woman named Mavis, a recent graduate of a formerly closed high school that the Center for Global Missions began supporting when it reopened.

"Mavis was the one who asked us to open the school, so that other people can have an equal chance to have an education," said Clarke. "She's the poster-girl for the school now."

Since 2012, Regent students and partners with the high school in Ghana have supported it with scholarship funds. Because Clarke knows there is more to missions than "throwing money at a problem," he and his team spent a day at an orphanage, tithing their time.

"There were a lot of clothes, to the point where they were busting at the seams," said Clarke. "It's easy to give things. There's too much of a 'let's just give our way out of a problem,' rather than getting involved."

As for the future of the trips, Clarke plans to return to Ghana with his Regent team for the seventh time next summer.