Dordt students participate in global missions opportunity

In mid-October a group of Dordt University students traveled to Minneapolis to participate in Engage Global, a three-day interactive missions experience designed to equip students with practical skills to engage people in global missions. The students who participated came away with unique insights and experiences that deepened their faith and their understanding of other cultures.

Students from a variety of majors – including social work, nursing, business, and theology – took part in interactive sessions exploring faith perspectives and a deep focus on the Bible. Then, they visited a Somali market, where they gained firsthand experience navigating a setting far removed from Sioux Center.

To social work major Madelyn Tinklenberg, the most important thing she learned from Engage Global was being a cultural learner. “It is important to know other cultures to a point where you can go from understanding behaviors and values to begin to ask deeper questions related to worldview,” she says.

Participating in Engage Global helped theology major Kira Ouwinga to think about her future. “It pushed me to think about how I will be interacting with missions, whether as a goer, sender, mobilizer, welcomer, or so on. No matter what, I can still provide support by enjoying God’s grace and extending His glory,” she says.

Barry Brown, who serves as director of missions strategies and instructor of business at Dordt, says Engage Global provides attendees with the chance to “understand how to transform contemporary culture in the people they are around.”

“It’s an intercultural exposure that gives students a biblical foundation and practical skills for engaging with people from a variety of backgrounds,” he says. “This experience is invaluable, especially as they enter careers where they will inevitably interact with people from varying religious and cultural backgrounds.”

Brown has plans to send more students to Engage Global in the coming academic year. With each trip, he hopes students feel equipped to approach cross-cultural encounters with humility, curiosity, and a heart for the Gospel.

About Dordt University

As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.