Directing Around the World H'UG d i rectors Tim and Rebecca Brinley were no strangers to world trav– :eling when they took the positions of leading one of Harding's overseas . - :programs. From a young age Rebecca spent several years abroad, wh ich "; . , cont inued after marrying Tim. "1 spent about eight of my growing up yea rs in Lima, Peru," Rebecca said . "Tim and I did a church planting min istry in G r eece for five years in the 80s. Just prior to moving to HUGwe spent 14 years in Moscow, Russia, planting churches there . " After spending much of their lives dedicated to building Cod's church interna– tionally, the two dedicated themselves to build ing r elationships and sharing expe– r iences with a new group of students studying abroad each semester. HaVing been HUG directors for only one year thus far, the Brinleys seemed to be settl ing in to the new roles quite well. " I am totally lOVing life here at HUG," Rebecca said. "Each studen t group we get brings a whole new dynamic to this campus. It is very exciting to see how C od puts the groups together and what gifts they bring to enrich each other's lives." Senior ManonJacob attended H UG this past fall and was impressed with what the couple brought to the program. "I think they are really amazing Christ ians who have a lot of really great ideas and truly encourage experiencing as much as you can while you're at the program," Jacob sa id. The Brinleys were always open to hearing students' ideas and tl1,ing to incorpo– rate them into the whole overseas experience. "We really wanted to hike Mount Olympus but it wasn't in the it inerary," J acob said . "So they helped moved classes around and really assisted in organizing the extracurricular tr ips." The Brinleys' passion for living and serving abroad extended even to their chil – dren. T heir youngest son, freshman Marcus Brinley said he enjoyed the time he spent with his parents at HUG. "1 spent the past two summers at HUC, but 1 stayed in Moscow, Russia for my senior year without them," Marcus said. "Living at HUGwas a blast in the summers and when 1 would visit my parents . It was always fun to get to know each group of students that came through and see the different dynamics of each group." Though having parents who happened to be directors of an overseas program limited the amount of time he got to see them during the school year , Marcus took his parents' lead in experiencing new parts of the world. ' 'I'm hoping to go on the Australia program next fall," Marcus said . " I 'm pretty excited because it's a part of the world I've never really seen much of." A big part of what made any overseas experience memorable was the people involved . For students and the Brinleys alike, getting to know each other and serve together kept HUG just one o f many overseas programs worth par ticipat– ing in. "We love to watch the students get to know and love each other and watch them serve in the Soup Kitchen Love Meals, or at the new church plant at Clyfada, or just around the community here in Porto Rafti, or on the HUe campus," Rebecca said. "The travel we get to do is fantastic. It is truly an amazing program and was an amazing program long before Tim and I came." Emily Haupt/i Tim Brinley, Director HUG Program Jacqueline Dillon, Dir. UK/France Program Tom Hook, HULA Administra tor Pam Little, Director HUA Program Roy Merritt, Coordinator of HIZ Robbie Shackelford, Director HUF Program overseas directors 49
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