College Connections
Aaron and Shannon DePue alongside their three children: Izzy, Blayne, and Avalynn
In the summer of 2024, the Hungary team launched an exciting new partnership, hosting a student team from Asbury University for an immersive cross-cultural ministry experience. That same winter, another team from Taylor University arrived, marking the beginning of what we hope will be a long-standing collaboration between these universities and the mission field in Hungary.
These trips weren’t just about short-term impact—they were opportunities for students to serve, grow, and gain hands-on experience in ministry while supporting the local church. To learn more about how these partnerships began and the lasting impact they’re making, I reached out to Aaron and Shannon DePue, who lead the field in Hungary. They shared their insights on how these teams came together, the work they’ve done, and their advice for students considering missions.
The Asbury 2024 team alongside the OMS English Camps Team.
How did these partnerships with Asbury and Taylor come about, and what inspired you to start them?
The Asbury partnership was originally inspired by a specific need to recruit English teachers to Hungary. Shannon had experience creating similar partnerships with universities through our personal business in the US, hosting student teachers and interns, who in many cases became our employees after their graduation. When our daughter began attending Asbury, the Lord provided a chain of connections that led us to Barbara Hamilton in the education department. The original idea morphed into a vision trip where students could come and serve in Hungary as student teachers in our summer English camps and receive college credit through Asbury. Similarly, Taylor University offers their students opportunities to serve on the mission field while earning related college credits. As OMS approached Taylor University to begin this type of partnership, our growing experience in this area, and the rich surroundings of Budapest, seemed a natural fit for Taylor University as well. God really just opened the doors wide for these new experiences that uniquely fit our natural giftings of hospitality and administration. We see this as an unbelievable opportunity to provide a space for these young adults to experience cross cultural missions in a way that changes the trajectory of their lives.
What kind of work do the student teams participate in while they’re in Hungary?
The student team from Asbury University is organized through the education department with the purpose of developing curriculum and planning an English camp. The students teach English to Hungarian students and gain valuable experience not only in teaching, but sharing the love of Jesus with children in an educational setting. This camp is orchestrated in partnership between OMS, the local church, and the local school. The students also work alongside the local pastor to complete small renovations on the local church.
In January of this year, Taylor University offered a J-term cross cultural communication class in Budapest. This group did classroom work in the mornings, with cultural and ministry activities in the evenings. The ministry activities were with a broad range of OMS partners and included caring for the homeless, worship leader trainings, street evangelism, leading bible study, leading worship, English clubs, and teaching English in the public schools.
How have these short-term trips impacted both the students and the local community in Hungary?
The community is blessed by the enthusiasm, talents, and energy that the students bring for the gospel. Their love for Christ is evident in every act of kindness, and every outreach ministry that they plan and execute. As the local church is built up and discipled, it builds more trust and deeper connections for the missionary community in their ongoing ministry. It is like blowing fresh wind on a fire.
The students leave Hungary with a better understanding of cross-cultural missions and how people work and live outside of their home culture. It allows them to see the world and God’s people from a different perspective. It gives them the opportunity to allow God to work in their own hearts to create change, and even consider how they might continue in missions at home or abroad.
What are some challenges of bringing student teams into a cross-cultural mission setting, and how do you navigate them?
The largest challenge is creating an experience that balances the students’ educational expectations, cultural experiences, and ministry opportunities. It is difficult to fit all of the great things in. It is critical to have solid ministry partners, an excellent team on the ground, and flexibility from the professors who are leading the teams. Organization and communication are also a challenge with large student groups. We work very closely with the team leaders to plan these trips well. Investing in building relationships with the teams by visiting the schools and getting to know them in advance is key to setting successful goals and expectations.
What advice would you give to students or young adults considering short-term missions?
Pray about it and see if the Lord is directing you, and if so, prepare your heart spiritually for what you will be doing. Short-term mission trips can be fulfilling and life-changing endeavors; however, you will face challenges and difficulty along the way. It is important to be flexible and open to what the Lord wants to do in your heart and in others.
The DePues and the Hungary team see these student partnerships as more than just short-term trips—they're investing in the future of missions. Whether these students go on to serve internationally or bring a missional mindset to their home communities, their time in Hungary leaves a lasting imprint on both their lives and the people they serve.
For the Hungary team, these visits bring fresh energy and encouragement, reminding them that they’re not in this work alone. As they continue developing these partnerships, the hope is that more young adults will step into missions—whether for a season or a lifetime.
