Help Make Urna's College Degree a Reality!

Hi, my name is Karen Peckham and I'm raising funds to support Urna (Urangerel Uuganbayar) as she is completing her degree in communication at Southwestern Adventist University in Keene, Texas. 

Urna is a beautiful young lady who was born in Mongolia and has journeyed to the USA to pursue her goal of studying at an Adventist Christian university, something that she could not do in her home country. Currently, she is in her third year of studies with just three semesters to go! She is getting closer but is challenged to find the funds for her tuition. Urna’s mom has a low-paying job working for the Adventist church mission in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Urna’s father passed away when she was just a child. So far, she has trusted that God will provide a way for her to complete her degree despite having limited financial resources.

Our family first met Urna's mom, Enkhe, in Mongolia during a 2017 mission trip that her mother coordinated. Urna was completing 9th grade when we visited her country and has quite a story of how God has directed her life. Both she and her mom have chosen the pathway of getting a Christian education from grade school all the way through college. They have been committed to this even though they have not always known how they could manage it financially.

Urna’s international student visa limits the number of hours that she is allowed to work and requires that she be enrolled for a full load each semester. This poses quite a challenge because she cannot take a semester off to raise funds or work extra jobs off campus. That is why she needs a support team to help her at this point. Each donation, both small and large, makes a huge difference. Urna plans to make good use of her education and hopes that in a few years she will be able to make a difference in the lives of students like herself. 

If you prefer, you may donate directly to Urna's student account by calling the business office at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) and paying by credit card. 

These adjectives describe Urna well—“Enthusiastic”, “Grateful”, and “Committed”.

Thank you for helping her!

Here is Urna’s story:

Hello! My name is Urna and I have come all the way from Mongolia to the United States to pursue a better Christian education and environment, with big dreams and lots of faith that God will never fail or leave me! 

I come from a third-world country, with a single-parent mother who works for the church in Mongolia. It is hard to believe that I have made it this far considering that I have been on my own for the past six years, living far apart from home and family. However, with the help of kindhearted people and my family in Christ, I’m excited to say that I’m in my junior year at Southwestern Adventist University. I’m studying communication and public relations with a minor in psychology.

As an international student on a student visa, I’m only allowed to work on campus, and I’m not eligible for many scholarships and government funds because I’m not a US citizen. I have a job working 11-16 hours per week as a Success Coach for the school, but it is still not enough to fully pay my tuition. There have been many ups and downs, but I am so grateful for the many generous donors who have been touched by God to help me out!

After receiving a good education, I plan to work and gain experience at a marketing firm and start my own business. Then I want to return to Mongolia and serve as a professor for communications at the Gateway project. The Gateway project will be Mongolia's first international Seventh-day Adventist school campus. Later I want to return to the USA and help serve and fund students like me and the Gateway campus by using resources from the business I hope to start here. I understand these are big dreams, but I am here by the grace of God, and He is a God of love who wants us to live in his perfect peace and harmony with the purpose and dreams he has planted in our hearts.