Wheaton in Mexico 

“As I think back on my time in Mexico and my interactions with Mexican people, the word that always comes to mind is hospitality, though I cannot pinpoint a specific moment in which I experienced their abundant hospitality. Why? I saw it in every meal my host mom lovingly prepared for me, in every kiss on the cheek, in every greeting at the small Baptist church I attended, and in every hour spent exchanging stories. 

“Through their welcome and acceptance, the people I met showed me the love and care of Christ. They inspired me to adopt this same attitude in my own life, and to teach my future Spanish students the importance of caring for, listening to, and accepting all people ... especially those who differ from us.” 

Global Scholars Award: Nigeria 

“If the purpose of research is to discover something that makes a difference, then I can count my experience in Nigeria as fruitful for me, for the academic community, and for the churches in Nigeria. My research brought into focus the particularity of reality. For example, how a Nigerian might talk about spirit beings and their interaction with the world differs significantly from the way an average American might. 

“We cannot underestimate the impact of our mental filters on our way of seeing the world. My time in Nigeria taught me that even long-standing, consensus opinions of scholars need to be constantly examined in light of differing worldviews in the global body of Christ.” 

Human Needs and Global Resources: Bucharest, Romania 

“I was born in Cluj-Napoca and immigrated to America in 2001. Fifteen years later, I boarded another plane to go back to Romania. During a six-month HNGR internship I worked with eLiberare, an NGO in Bucharest, and learned from committed Christians fighting for justice, survivors of sex trafficking, and other vulnerable people. I helped create a curriculum and an eight-hour lecture on trauma-informed care for volunteers and caregivers. 

“I went into the internship believing that I could ‘save’ people. But God used these people to minister to me. The survivors at the shelter are testimonies of God’s goodness, despite the horrific things they endured, a lesson I am learning in my own life. I know that God is calling me back to Romania to work alongside vulnerable communities. After graduating from Wheaton, I hope to get a master’s in counseling and one day serve in the country of my birth.” 

Wheaton in China 

“Since high school, I have felt called by God to China. Wheaton in China afforded me my first extended stay there. It was encouraging getting to know some of our teachers who had come to Christ recently—especially two, Sarah and Kexin. During class, over meals, and on field trips into the city, we got to know them, hear their testimonies, share stories, and encourage each other in our faith. 

“As I lived with a Chinese family and then on campus, the seemingly mundane things were the most formative: cramming into a bus with other morning commuters, watching a singing competition with college students, walking the streets of Tianjin. In these moments, among Chinese people, God spoke to my heart and confirmed my calling to this place and these people.”