Concordia Nebraska senior Brynn Holtmeier and alumnae Ruth Moon ’22 serve others through work with Stronghold Cambodia

Ruth Moon ’22 grew up in Lutheran churches and became familiar with Concordia University, Nebraska when her brother Aidan decided to study at the university in 2015. Although she was reluctant to leave her home state of Colorado, she quickly fell in love with Concordia’s Christian values and community and found a home in the university’s education program.

Moon has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with TESOL endorsement as well as a Lutheran Teacher Diploma and minor in Spanish. Following graduation, she joined Mission of Christ Network (MCN) as a mission partner in Costa Rica. She spent three and a half years in Costa Rica working with an organization called LightHouse. She taught and planned English classes and worked with youth in the community of Parrita, Costa Rica. She left Costa Rica in January 2026. In April, she began work as a MCN mission partner with Stronghold Cambodia in Kampot, Cambodia. She teaches English to third through twelfth graders, develops curriculum for the English program and builds relationships with the students through other ministry activities. 

“Concordia is not focused purely on students graduating with a degree to have a career. The community at Concordia is also focused on growing students into being faithful servants of Christ in all that we do.”

“Between classes we also have devotions for the students in their native language, where I sometimes help to lead the songs. When I’m not teaching English classes, I spend my time planning the curriculum, teaching piano and building relationships with our students. I also spend a couple of hours a week taking Khmer language classes to better be able to communicate with students and community members,” said Moon. “I love teaching and seeing students grow in their skills. It is also very fulfilling to see and participate in the sharing of the gospel with these students on a daily basis.”

Concordia Nebraska senior Brynn Holtmeier of Tobias, Nebraska, is currently serving in Cambodia with Moon and expects to graduate from the university in December with a bachelor’s degree in special education and Lutheran Teacher Diploma. The past four summers, she has worked teaching English in Asia, and this is her second summer as an ESL teacher with Stronghold Cambodia.

“Stronghold is a church and school for students on Fish Island,” explained Holtmeier. “I am blessed to come alongside them in the mission to teach English to students in grades third through twelfth grade. It has been a joy to be reunited with many of the same students from last year and to see how they have grown in their faith and their English. I am one of two teachers currently at Stronghold. Ruth is the second English teacher until she returns to the States for her summer furlough. I enjoy getting to build relationships with the students and encourage them in their faith.”

Moon said her classes at Concordia Nebraska prepared her for her current mission work.

“The education classes gave me a foundation for work as an educator. Theology classes helped me have a stronger understanding of my beliefs, and more confidence in sharing them with others. My Spanish classes gave me language skills that I would use during my years working in Costa Rica,” she said. “My time at Concordia is also what opened my eyes to the world of international mission work. I was encouraged to study and student teach abroad and exposed to many different options of international work. This all eventually led to my choice to become a missionary.” 

Moon said that college was a time for her to take more ownership over her faith as she left the environment of her family.

“This is an important process, and I am grateful that I was able to go through that process at a university were there were many opportunities for me to be active in my faith and participate in Christian community. My time at Concordia helped me to see how faith can be an aspect of all areas of my life,” she said. “There were many things to love about Concordia, and my favorite part was being able to find Christ-centered community and be able to have my faith included in all of my studies and activities.” 

Holtmeier agreed that her time at Concordia has helped to grow her faith in Jesus Christ.

“The professors incorporate the faith as they equip us in classes and care about our faith lives. I have had many conversations with professors about questions that I have had or about deepening my faith. It is also through the experiences that I have had that Concordia has helped shape my faith,” she said. “It has helped me understand how to stay strong in my faith as I encounter people who do not hold the same beliefs. The community at Concordia has grown my faith through the relationships with my friends that I have made here. Concordia has grown my faith in having a deeper desire to ‘go’ and join in the Great Commission with an eager heart. I have also learned during my time at Concordia that we are to live out the Great Commission in all of our vocations. My faith has grown as my understanding of this has deepened.”

Moon said her education professors were helpful in encouraging her on the path to becoming an educator. She said Dr. Vicki Anderson was an influential and important part of her journey to her current career path as a missionary teaching English. Holtmeier said she has enjoyed extensive support from faculty and staff, as well.

“The education department is different from other universities because of the quality of experiences and classes that prepare students for teaching. All education classes, but especially the special education classes, equip us to see all of our future students as children of God and to serve and love them as such,” she said. “My professors have shown an interest in what I care about and what my talents are. They have helped me realize that what I am passionate about and gifted in are a part of my purpose. They emphasize that my purpose is ultimately rooted in Christ. It is through their stories and guidance that I understand that my purpose is never tied to just one career. God has created me for a purpose that may be lived out differently during different times and circumstances of my life. I am truly grateful for my professors helping me discover that my purpose is greater than a single career and is rooted in Christ.”

Moon has three brothers, they all grew up on cattle ranches throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Her father is a ranch manager, and she was homeschooled by her mother. Her older brother Aidian ‘19 and his wife Naomi ‘20 also attended the university. He now serves as an LCMS Army chaplain, and they have three children. One of her younger brothers works on a cattle ranch in New Mexico, and the other is studying aeronautical engineering with a plan to become an Air Force pilot.

Holtmeier grew up on her family’s farm with grandparents just across the road. She said her family has played a huge role in her faith and desire to serve.

“My grandparents modeled for me with their lives how to serve others and be mission-minded,” she said. “I am the first one in my family to go overseas, but they truly are what inspired me to go. After spending my summer breaks overseas, I can say that I have never been closer to my family. These summers have grown all of us in having deeper connections with one another and built a deeper foundation of relying on God as we are apart.”

Moon and Holtmeier both chose to study at Concordia because of the faith-based community and the mission opportunities provided for students and agree that Concordia is different from other universities because of its intentionality in providing a faith-based community.

“Concordia is not focused purely on students graduating with a degree to have a career. The community at Concordia is also focused on growing students into being faithful servants of Christ in all that we do,” said Holtmeier. “I think that Concordia has prepared me for my current vocation as a short-term ESL teacher. It is through the connections at Concordia that I am serving at Stronghold Cambodia with Mission of Christ Network in the first place. My education classes have equipped me with the teaching tools necessary for classroom management and incorporating best practices in the classroom. The classes at Concordia and my professors have also helped me understand the importance of cultural context and how to embrace a different culture to serve within a new context.”

Concordia University, Nebraska offers many different international mission trips that allow students to demonstrate God’s love while serving the world and discovering a different culture. Past mission trips have included teaching English as a second language in Poland, medical mission trips to Guatemala and spreading the Gospel and serving local communities in places like the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Peru and Uruguay.