BELTON, Texas— This summer, 80 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) students, faculty, staff, and alumni traveled the globe to serve others, share the gospel, and put their faith into action through nine Global Outreach mission teams.
From the Himalayas to the Caribbean, and from Alaska to the United Kingdom, UMHB Global Outreach teams traveled to nine locations, including Alaska, Belize, Canada, Indonesia, Kenya, Montana, Nepal, the Rio Grande Valley, and the United Kingdom. Each team served in a different capacity, but all shared a common purpose—to follow Christ by meeting practical needs, building relationships, and proclaiming the hope of the gospel.
“These experiences give our students the opportunity to see what it means to live out their faith beyond the walls of the university,” said Tiffany Horton, UMHB’s Director of Global Outreach. “They return home with a deeper understanding of God’s heart for the world, a greater willingness to serve, and stories of how God worked in ways they could never have planned.”
In Belize and Kenya, UMHB students used their training and skills to provide medical care in communities with limited access to health services. The Belize team served in schools and hosted pop-up medical clinics, and in Kenya, the team operated pop-up clinics, served at a hospital, and spoke with students at a local school. During their time in Kenya, the team saw more than 500 patients and witnessed 157 girls make professions of faith in Christ.
For teams serving in Montana and the Rio Grande Valley, the ministry centered on children, families, and practical acts of service. The Montana team spent three weeks in Kalispell working with a local church’s summer camp. Each week brought opportunities to serve a different age group, from elementary students through high schoolers, while building relationships and sharing the gospel. In the Rio Grande Valley, students led a Bible camp, painted a mural, and stepped into whatever work was needed to care for their hosts and serve the surrounding community.
In Sunderland, England, the United Kingdom team partnered with local schools and a church to connect with children through sports. Students led physical education classes in primary schools each morning and hosted a flag football camp each afternoon. Through teaching and conversation, the team used sports as a bridge to build relationships and to share the hope they have in Christ. The week culminated with a powerful reminder of the relationships they had built when many of the children and families they met attended the local church that Sunday.
In Indonesia, students worked among Muslim communities, teaching English in local schools and cafes while building relationships and learning about the surrounding culture and community. The Canada team also used relationships and conversation as a pathway for ministry, sharing about Christ and His redeeming work with people in public spaces while traveling to work and school. The team engaged people in conversations in a public square, served chai to members of the South Asian community, served children and families at a local church, and taught English three evenings each week.
For a four-person team in Nepal, the mission began long before they boarded a plane. Through prayer and preparation, the team sought to trust God with every aspect of their journey. Once in Nepal, the team partnered with the International Mission Board (IMB) and local translators to trek nearly 50 miles through the Himalayas, traveling to remote villages to share the gospel.
In Alaska, UMHB partnered with a new ministry to strengthen the connection between a local church and its Bible camp, which was held at a nearby park. During the team’s first week, more than 40 children attended the camp, providing an opportunity for students to serve, build relationships, and share their faith.
Whether providing medical care, teaching children, trekking into remote villages, serving a meal, or simply sitting down to have a conversation, UMHB students learned to recognize opportunities to serve wherever God placed them. The experiences also gave students an opportunity to see their education, skills, and faith come together in meaningful ways and to return to campus with a broader understanding of what it means to live as Christ-followers in a global society.
The Global Outreach program reflects UMHB’s mission to prepare students for leadership, service, and faith-informed discernment in a global society. Through opportunities to serve locally, nationally, and internationally, students are challenged to move beyond themselves and live out their calling by serving others. To learn more, visit Global Outreach - Spiritual Life (umhb.edu).
