For students at Pepperdine University, opportunities to travel, study and live abroad abound. It’s virtually impossible to walk across campus without being bombarded by signs and promotions encouraging students to get out and see the world.
However, amidst the advertising for Florence, Heidelberg, Buenos Aires and the rest of the international programs, a different kind of international program has flown under the radar for some time: a program called Let’s Start Talking (LST). In partnership with Campus Ministries, LST is a mission-oriented national organization that sends teams of college students around the world each summer for up to six weeks.
Tammy Selby, the director of disability services is the coordinator for Let’s Start Talking. Selby spoke about Pepperdine’s involvement with LST as well as its growth and development.
Founded in Dallas in the late 1980s, Let’s Start Talking teams use the Gospel of Luke as an English teaching tool, simultaneously helping churches in other countries teach English and evangelize.
Pepperdine has been involved with LST since the early 1990s, sending some of its first teams to Moscow. Members of these early teams included current Campus Ministries minister Linda Truschke and Professor Regan Schaffer, both of whom have been able to participate in the trips since their time as students.
Designed to enrich the people on both ends of the ministry, the teams and trips are planned around the interest of its members. Students may arrange to go as a group of friends, and are able to choose which location they will travel to and for how long.
This past summer, 18 Pepperdine students participated in LST trips, travelling to places as far as Thailand, Romania and Kenya. Away from home, these students were able to form friendships with the people they were teaching and mentoring through experiencing new cultures.
Kate Suryatip, class of 2011, spent the summer in Thailand.
“I felt called to go there because Thailand is my homeland,” said Suryatip, who spent her time going through the Gospel of Luke with people of all ages.
She shared the story of how her LST group formed friendships with their readers, providing them with new opportunities to learn about Christian faith and forming encouraging friendships with people who truly needed them. According to Suryatip, “Anyone who feels called to preach His Word and who believes that Jesus is the way should definitely do LST.”
Justin Beck, a junior, spent his summer in St. George, Romania.
“In a matter of just three weeks, I saw God do so many things that I couldn’t have even begun to plan for or anticipate. The people there were genuine, hospitable and eager to learn. If anyone is interested in traveling to a new place, meeting new people from a different culture, and helping do the work of God’s kingdom here on Earth, I would totally recommend that they look into what it takes to go on an LST trip next summer.”
To find out more about LST and get involved with their summer missions, check out lst.org or attend the information night on Sept. 18 in Stauffer Chapel.
