At SEU Missions, every trip is an opportunity for students to step into the unknown, serve others, and encounter God in powerful ways. Brooke Anderson, an SEU student, traveled to the Himalayas with SEU Missions in 2023, and her experience was nothing short of life-changing. In the following blog, Brooke shares her journey firsthand — from the challenges she faced to the moments that deepened her faith.
In the summer of 2022, I opened an email on my phone that had a list of SEU Missions trips for the upcoming year. One of the first ones I saw was a backpacking trip to reach people groups in the Himalayas who have never heard the Gospel. “That sounds awesome, but I could never really do that,” I thought to myself, and kept scrolling.
After a brief mention of the trip to my brother, two days later, it was all I could think about. Almost a year later, I was boarding a plane with 8 fellow students, our backpacks, and anticipation for what was to come.
Our team traveled to join Hope Has a Name, a missionary organization that works to advance the Gospel in South Asia. They lead expeditions into remote villages of the Himalayas, provide homes for orphans, and coordinate clean water projects throughout the region. When we arrived and drove into the mountains, the paved roads ended and the air got colder. The next day, our team of 20 (including our contacts, local pastors, guides, and translators) began the backpacking journey to seven different villages to share the Gospel and encourage believers.
Counting the Cost
The Himalayas are home to more than 50 million people. In each of these countries, there are religious participation laws and cultural atmospheres that can result in the persecution of Christians, that is both systematic and social. For followers of Jesus, practices like evangelism and baptism, especially in remote regions, can be risky.
One day, we were hiking along a road when we stopped to speak with a family who was tending their livestock in a bamboo structure on the side of the mountain. We were kindly greeted and after some conversation, I asked them if they had ever heard the name of Jesus. They replied that they had, and the father of the family mentioned that he had read the Bible. He said that 
they wanted to believe in Jesus, but were hesitant to follow Him because of the persecution they would face in their village.
Throughout this region, high in the mountains, those who choose to become Christians are often forced to the outskirts of village life — rejected and isolated from the only community they have. They are excommunicated by their families and neighbors and cut off from community food and water supplies. In fact, one of our group’s leaders was a local pastor who was miraculously healed at 18. He became a Christian shortly after and was kicked out of his village, beaten, and excommunicated by his family and friends. Later in life, he was imprisoned for sharing the Gospel and eventually released and yet, he and many others working in ministry have counted the cost and continue to labor faithfully the Gospel.
Even in the face of this opposition, we were welcomed into the homes of pastors and believers as they shared their stories, resources, and everyday lives with us. Most nights, we would gather with Christians in each village to trade songs in worship, share scripture, and pray together. The joy of these believers was tangible and resilient. I soon realized how special these moments were, as people shared testimonies of healing, persecution, and the hope they have found in the power and love of God.
Into the Story
On paper, we had very little in common with these people. Our lives are extremely different, yet, we did have Jesus in common. We experienced the unity that comes by the Spirit of God when followers of Jesus come together to seek Him and love one another. I realized that I had brothers and sisters in Christ that I had never met, each with a unique story about the work of God in their lives. Each person is a testimony to His love and power to heal the sick, redeem the sinner, and save the lost.
Every year, SEU Missions provides opportunities for students to step into the story God is writing all over the world. Because of this, I was able to participate in the work of the Gospel in ways I never thought possible.
Witnessing the lives of Himalayan believers was an experience that has forever changed the way I see the power of Christ and the beauty of His Church. Every story of miracles and hardships showed me that for these people, following Jesus is truly worth it. He is worth every challenge, trial, and sacrifice because He chose to give us everything by his life, death, and resurrection. I got to witness people experience the power of this reality, and I experienced it myself. It was by connecting with believers from a different part of the world and sharing in their work for the Gospel, that I have seen that God isn’t far away or dormant. He is moving powerfully throughout the world and in the lives of people to reveal His power and love.
Most importantly, I have seen that this work is not happening at a distance. It’s the greatest adventure we could ever experience, and it’s imperative that we know that God is inviting you and to be a part of it.
Written by: Brooke Anderson, SEU student
Edited by: Mia Golding & Giselle Terrero, SEU alumnae
About SEU Missions
Hundreds of students, faculty, and staff travel the globe each year through SEU Missions. Each student-led mission trip has a specific purpose with one overall goal — to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth.
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