John Bond has never been on a mission trip, but his son used to love making the trips.

In fact, Bond’s son, Andrew, once spent four months away from home on a mission trip in Southeast Asia, serving and helping the local community.

Andrew’s trip to Asia proved to be his final one though, as he was killed in car accident in 2010. He was just 20 years old.

Although Andrew may be gone, his spirit and determination to help others lives on through his father, as Mr. Bond has stepped up the challenge of raising money for college students to travel the world and serve on mission trips by creating a non-profit organization called Andrew’s Mission.

In 2012, one of the recipients was Chad Akins, a graduate assistant coach for the Valdosta State men’s basketball team. Although currently living in Mississippi, Bond found Akins through a mutual family friend, as Akins is originally from Mississippi. When Bond heard Akins was currently living in Valdosta, he jumped at the opportunity to fund his trip, as Bond was raised in Valdosta, and so was Andrew.

In fact, Bond’s father was the Dean of Students at Valdosta State University for much of his childhood, while he attended grade school around the corner at the old S.L. Mason Elementary School.

With the financial support of Bond, Akins was able to join the Valdosta State Fellowship of Christian Athletes this past week in the Bahamas, serving orphanages with the opportunity to play, compete and establish sports teams. Akins and the rest of the FCA members taught, trained and played sports and ministry with the orphanages. The group also helped rebuild houses that were destroyed by hurricanes.

Along with helping Akins, Bond also donated an additional $1,000 on Friday, presenting the check to associate men’s basketball coach Nick Gast.

“Let’s keep this thing going,” Bond said when he handed Gast the check.

And moving forward is exactly what Bond and Andrew’s Mission is doing, he and a group of adults are currently planning a trip to Costa Rica to help rebuild a school for local youth, where they will rebuild the roof and windows of the school building.

“The roof is leaking and they don’t have a computer,” Bond said. “So we are going to go roof a school and fix computers and do whatever else they need.”

“The ultimate goal is to where Andrew’s Mission is taking 15 to 20 people to go and do whatever,” Bond continued. “Whether is to build a church or build houses, whatever it is.”

Andrew’s Mission can be found online at andrewsmission.org.