A young boy approached Becca Halbmaier during a mission trip to South Africa, where he clung to her hand and leaned his head on her shoulder. He didn’t speak a word but stayed by her side, seeking comfort.
“I asked the Lord, ‘Jesus, how would you love this little boy right now?’” said Halbmaier, a secondary education senior and a student coordinator for ORU Missions. “All I could do was hold him and be present.”
Everyone in the township spoke Afrikaans.
“I couldn’t understand a word,” said Halbmaier. “But love is a language of its own.”
She connected with local children through simple gestures, playful games and spending quality time with them, offering comfort and attention even without words.
“I just wanted them to feel seen and loved,” she reflected. “Sometimes, that’s all that’s needed.”
However, her team’s efforts extended beyond moments of personal connection.
“Our team did all kinds of ministry,” Halbmaier shared. “We painted ‘Jesus Loves You’ on the park fence with the gospel message, picked up trash from the park, did prayer walks through the Golden Valley township, hosted fun days for the kids, worked at schools, served the teachers, and shared the good news with the kids. We also saw people experience healings and witnessed several accept Jesus as their Savior.”
The team’s work brought visible transformation for the entire township.
“We completed our fence project, and later, our contact sent us a video of the children celebrating Christmas by the ‘Jesus Loves You’ fence,” Halbmaier said. “We also cleaned the park entirely and made it a safe environment for the kids to come and play.”
As ORU Missions teams gear up for trips in May 2025, preparations are already underway.
Following the launch of teams on Nov. 12, students have been getting to know their teammates and raising funds for their upcoming journeys.
These efforts mark the start of a process that will challenge their faith, resilience, and adaptability, university officials said.
Under the leadership of Allie Mendoza, director of ORU Missions and Outreach, the program prepares students to bridge cultural gaps through compassion and a presence that speaks beyond words.
Students participate in pre-departure training, including a week of ropes training to build character, bond as a team and prepare for unfamiliar environments.
“We do different scenarios, high ropes courses, low ropes training, and exercises with seasoned ORU Missions alumni,” Halbmaier explained.
Mendoza highlights the need for humility and reliance on the Holy Spirit, encouraging students to understand that their ministry is most impactful when they allow Him to work through them.
The program sends students to 30 countries, where they engage in relational ministry, forming bonds with local communities through acts of service and compassion.
In Uganda, Timothy Way, a long-time ORU Missions contact, has seen the impact of these well-prepared teams.
“When ORU teams arrive, they bring fresh energy and enthusiasm,” said Way, a missionary in Uganda who has partnered with ORU since the 1990s. “Their presence is a huge encouragement to our local ministry.”
Way described how ORU teams participate in discipleship efforts by hosting Bible studies, organizing fellowship groups, and, most importantly, building enduring relationships.
“People look forward to their return every year,” he said, highlighting the team’s joy and connection to the community.
While ORU Missions emphasizes making a meaningful impact, short-term missions have faced scrutiny over their long-term effectiveness. Mendoza acknowledges the challenges.
“One of the most significant considerations of our office is ensuring that we are having a healthy and positive short-term impact on the long-term Kingdom work that is happening,” Mendoza said.
“The challenge typically isn’t finding amazing contacts doing great long-term work but finding contacts who truly need a short-term team.”
To address these concerns, ORU Missions builds relationships with local contacts and returns to the same locations year after year. This approach allows for continuity and helps ensure that short-term efforts align with long-term needs. Mendoza also emphasized the importance of following the guidance of their local partners. “We focus on doing the ministry that our contact truly wants and needs us to do,” she said.
Critics of short-term missions often point to high travel costs and time investments, arguing these resources could be better utilized for local outreach. Mendoza shared an example to highlight the broader impact of their efforts:
“Several years ago, we partnered with a church in South America,” Mendoza said. “A high school student who translated for the team eventually learned about ORU and decided to attend, and her life was transformed. She went on multiple ORU Missions trips, worked on our staff, and is now focused on ending modern slavery while continuing to have a heart for the nations.”
“Stories like hers show how short-term missions can have ripple effects beyond what we initially see.”
While the costs and criticisms remain concerns, ORU Missions strives to address these by focusing on sustainable partnerships, targeted efforts, and spiritual growth for participants and local communities, university officials said.
Halbmaier, who has traveled multiple times with ORU Missions, spoke about the personal growth that comes from stepping beyond her comfort zone.
“I’ve learned to be comfortable with discomfort,” she said. “When you step outside of what you know, you grow in ways you never expected.”
As ORU Missions teams prepare for their upcoming journeys, set to begin on May 4, Mendoza encourages them to approach each encounter with humility, viewing every interaction as an opportunity to share Christ’s love.
Teams will spend two to four weeks in their respective locations, depending on each ministry’s needs. The ORU Missions program announced seven new locations for this year: Maui, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Germany, Tanzania, Togo and Tunisia.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Jan. 22. To get involved, contact ORU Missions at 918-495-7728 or [email protected].
