By Siobhan McGirl From WDBJ7 CBS

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ7) You can tell a lot about where a person is going from what they pack in their bag.

“Well definitely my work boots,” said one student as she rummaged through her backpack.

But what these students have packed doesn’t scream- “trip to the Caribbean”. That’s because they’re going to two islands that have been hit hard by Hurricane Irma.

“They actually evacuated the island of Barbuda and moved 1700 people out to the island of Antigua. So they’re stepping into a place that’s going to feel like the apocalypse happened,” said Vincent Valeriano, Associate Director of LU Send Now.

The team will be gone through October 1st and will be helping out in Barbuda and Antigua. Eight students and three staff members are making the trip.

For most of the students, the Caribbean is completely foreign. But to sophomore Kasandra Vallette the Caribbean is home. She grew up in the Dominican Republic, where her own family was impacted by Irma and Maria.

“It’s like heartbreaking to know your home is being destroyed and like there’s nothing you can do about it,” said Vallette.

So she wanted to help. The students will be removing debris, and setting up distribution points with Samaritan’s Purse.

The week-long trip will be filled with work. And so really, in their bags is very little.

Passports were a must. One student found a way to bring his guitar. He hopes to bring people peace and relieve stress through music.

As for Vallette, as she returns to an island not too far from her own, she is confident she has packed everything she needs.

“I feel like I’m the most helpful thing that I could take to this trip. Because I could change people’s lives more,” said Vallette.

For more on this story and video go to: http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Liberty-University-sends-a-group-of-volunteers-to-the-Caribbean–446986353.html