In late summer, a group of Luther Seminary students, faculty, and staff piled into a van and left St. Paul for rural Redwood County in southwest Minnesota. Their destination: Minnesota Farmfest.

Jon Anderson, director of rural ministry, saw the trip as an opportunity for members of the Luther community to learn about the economics, politics, and lifestyle of rural and small-town people in this part of the Midwest. By happenstance, all of the participants—students Paul Kising’u, Godson Dauda, and Vincent Jabbie Momoh, as well as Leon Rodrigues, dean of students, and Samuel Zalanga, director of inclusion and belonging—originally hail from African countries, including Sierra Leone, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

The group’s unique global and theological perspectives informed a day of listening and learning about rural issues—from the new farm bill to emerging technologies, from medical concerns to contemporary

Indigenous communities. The seminary field trip even caught the attention of a Minnesota Star Tribune writer, who highlighted reflections from the group in an August 16 column (“Tolkkinen: African pastors bring a different perspective to Farmfest”).

This cross-cultural experience perfectly aligned with Anderson’s goals, and he plans to continue exploring immersive opportunities in the future. “My dream is to not just grow pastors for rural or small-town contexts all over the country and world,” he said. “Even in a metro area, I dream of having people just be a little more aware of what rural contexts are like and what rural ministry is like. This is a way people can understand better how rural folks live their lives and how ministry happens.”

Dauda agreed. “Being there was a profound way to experience the diversity in American society,” he said.