God wants all nations to know him and Reid Jones wants to be a part of that.

A couple of years ago, Reid would not have even considered going to a another land to share the gospel with those who have never heard the word of God.

Today, he is deeply committed to doing just that.

Reid is one of 12 Troy State University students and three or four staff members who will spend about 10 weeks this summer in Kazakhstan, south of Russia, as part of the TSU Campus Outreach program.

The students will teach English on college campuses as a means of establishing a relationship with the students there.

"Through these relationships, we will, hopefully, be able to share the gospel with them," Reid said. "Our purpose in going to Kazakhstan is to share God's word with the people there so they can come to know Christ and become believers."

For the students, the ministry is an opportunity to increase their vision for the need of the gospel in all nations.

"I know this will be an opportunity for me to grow in my personal relationship with God," Reid said. "It will also be an opportunity for me to be a part of impacting another nation through the gospel."

This trip to Kazakhstan will not be Reid's first "mission" experience, but it's an experience that he never though he would have.

He has been involved in the TSU Campus Outreach Summer Beach Ministry.

"We spend nine weeks each summer at the beach, working regular jobs, and participating in events that hopefully will impact the lives of others," Reid said.

Last summer, Reid and a friend had a discussion about mission opportunities in other countries. He said he had no desire to go overseas.

Now that is his heart's desire - and God's desire for him.

"This is an opportunity for us to go and establish relationships with people who have no relationship with God," he said. "God says he wants all nations to know him and this is my opportunity to be a part of that. It is a time that I can use to develop my own relationship with God. I want to grow my relationship with God."

Reid has been growing his relationship with God all his life.

He said he grew up in a home that established him in his faith.

"When I was about nine years old, I knew I wanted to be a Christian and I asked God to take over my life," he said. "But, it wasn't until I got to college and joined Farm House Fraternity that I realized that I was not as confident in my faith as I need to be or wanted to be."

Reid said many of his friends were strong believers and impacted others by the way they led their lives.

"When they asked me about my testimony I was not confident - not genuine," he said. "There was something different about them and I wanted a deeper relationship with God so I could be genuine in my walk with him."

Two years ago, Reid again asked God to take over his life and, this time, he committed his life to him.

"I didn't do it for any recognition or for a pat on the back," he said. "I didn't want to have a relationship with God to glorify him, I wanted to glorify him through my relationship with him. On the outside, I might look the same, but internally I am a different person since God came into my life in a genuine way."

Because God came into Reid's life in a genuine way, he has no doubts that being a part of a college ministry overseas is what God wants for him.

"I am confident of that and I am committed to that," he said.

The TSU Campus Outreach team to Kazakhstan must raise the money necessary to make the trip and the money must be "in the bank" by April 10.

The group is prayerfully asking for the community's support.

Anyone who would like to make a contribution to the mission trip may do so by contacting Reid Jones at 670-4891 or 807-3910 for more information.

"We are praying that God will teach us and that God will use us," Reid said. "We know that we are going where he wants us to go and we know that a way will be provided."