2011年秋天， 比阿特丽斯·克劳斯(12届文学士) was at the start of her senior year at Hope International University (HIU). Her schedule was packed with a full class load, planning a Spring Break mission trip to Joplin, MO and working as the Editor-in-Chief of The Hope International Tribune. Far from her mind was travelling to a closed country in Central Asia where preaching the gospel can get you arrested or even killed, but that’s exactly what was ahead for 比阿特丽斯.

Early in the semester she received a letter from her sister, 玛丽, about an upcoming mission trip to Central Asia urging her to fill the recently vacated spot. She quickly dismissed the idea because the $2,000 cost of the trip was more than she could afford, The next letter she opened was from her aunt and uncle who wrote that they  had been thinking about her and decided to send her a check...以2000美元的价格.

比阿特丽斯, who is an Intercultural Studies Major in the Pacific Christian College of Ministry and Biblical Studies, felt like this was a sign she could not ignore. “I’ve been on a lot of mission trips before,”她说。, “and I’ve been to several other countries and this is the first time that I really felt like God was calling me there.”

整整九天, 比阿特丽斯 traveled in the capital city as a part of a missions and missionary assistance organization. 每两年一次, 该组织, whose name must remain undisclosed for safety purposes, calls together its missionaries from all over the country. 在这些会议期间, they also seek volunteers to care for and teach the missionaries’ children so the parents can focus on fellowship and community with each other.

比阿特丽斯 helped develop curriculum for the kids based off of the idea that oftentimes missionary kids are confused about what and where home is. “We wanted to give these kids a little bit of comfort as far as what the Bible says about where your home is and how to find your home in God,比阿特丽斯说.

Seeing Central Asia firsthand, 比阿特丽斯 realized that the land and the people there are not as hopeless as Americans seems to believe. “It’s still a country, it’s still full of people that God created,”她说。. “Especially the younger people I talked to, they all have this drive for making their country better.” She went on to say that many citizens recognized the problems that plague their country and they want to find the right ways to fix those issues and help their country thrive. “They need to be empowered,比阿特丽斯说. “They need to learn basic leadership skills.”

She also had the opportunity to sit in on the morals-based courses on ethics and leadership that the mission organization offers local people. They even participate in a course very similar to Foundations, a general education class all HIU students take. 在中亚, the lessons often end up opening the door for sharing the gospel with people who might normally refuse to listen. “There’s so much potential and the people are ready for a change,比阿特丽斯说. “Even though there aren’t many workers over there spreading the good news, God is still making himself known.”

As for the dangers associated with travel in Central Asia, 比阿特丽斯 admitted to being nervous about unintentionally breaking a cultural custom or law, such as looking a man in the eyes or having her head uncovered, offenses that carry punishments like losing a hand. Many of her family and friends were worried she would be arrested or killed over the course of the trip, but 比阿特丽斯 felt like God had not called her there to die. Instead, he wanted her to experience something powerful, and that’s exactly what happened. “当我在那里的时候, there was this feeling that the country’s on the brink of a huge gospel revolution, something’s that is going to completely change all of the people in that nation,”她说。. “I want to be a part of that. I want to be a part of God’s work there.”

In fact, she already has her heart set on going back. “I know I’m going back,”她说。. “我不知道是什么时候, 我不知道会持续多久, I don’t know what I’m doing there, 但我知道我要回去.”