Shannon Hogan thought she was saying “yes” to an international trip. What she didn’t expect was how deeply that “yes” would transform her view of faith, family, and finding Kingdom purpose at work – especially in a culture where that’s anything but common.
The opportunity came in a unique way. Shannon’s sister, Holly Reents, employee travel specialist, had already been on two vision trips with her husband, Nick. He wanted Holly to offer that blessing to a different family member, and Shannon was able to join the 2025 Belgium trip when her calendar surprisingly opened up at just the right time. A divine appointment, as it turned out.
A financial analyst at a global wealth management firm, Shannon is used to a high-pressure, performance-driven environment. Life moves fast. Success is measured in promotions, bonuses, and level of grind. There’s little room for spiritual conversation, let alone public expressions of faith. So arriving in Belgium with a group of open-hearted, faith-filled people from her sister’s company was a cultural jolt.
“I’ve never been around coworkers like this,” Shannon reflects. “They didn’t just talk about faith, they genuinely lived it. They prayed with each other, shared stories, and encouraged one another like family.”
Watching Holly interact with her Betenbough teammates – people she not only works with but also does life with – left a lasting impression. “It was like seeing a whole different version of her. We were all in ponytails, no makeup, and street clothes, serving and laughing together. I was in awe.”
And Shannon didn’t just observe. She jumped in.
The group served with SportQuest at BijbelHuis (the Bible House), nestled in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood in Antwerp. One of their main projects was painting the outside of the building – something that turned out to be much more difficult, and far more meaningful, than expected. The scaffolding was high, the paint chipped and stubborn, and the hours long. But Shannon, true to her fearless nature, climbed to the top tier and tackled it without hesitation. “She was up there getting it DONE,” Holly laughs. “It was so neat to see her sense of accomplishment as she served.”
Shannon formed a sweet bond with Roy Sanders, developer for Betenbough Homes Midland and the trip’s leader. The two joked constantly, quick wit and jabs flying between them, but by the end of the trip, Shannon confessed that Roy had become like a father figure during their time together. “It was so special watching her experience something spiritual – not as a kid, but as an adult, fully present,” Holly says.
One of Shannon’s favorite memories from the trip was from the first night they arrived. The travelers had been awake about 25 hours and would have been willing to skip dinner and go straight to bed. But over sixty kids were waiting to welcome them with a flash mob dance! Shannon remembers, “That gave me energy. Those kids lit me up!”
This vision trip highlighted that you don’t have to have ministry experience, know all the Bible stories, or even speak the same language to serve well. “You don’t have to know theology to love a child,” Holly shares. “And Shannon, a former Division II volleyball player, fit right in at SportQuest’s youth camp. The kids adored her.”
But perhaps the most powerful takeaway for Shannon wasn’t about service projects or even the extra sister time she enjoyed with Holly. It was about neighboring.
Seeing Ernst, the leader of the Bible House, engage with his community – calling people by name, welcoming everyone into the home, loving others (and being loved) regardless of belief or background – stirred something in Shannon. The experience challenged her view of what it means to be a neighbor.
The people at the Bible House are anomalies. They stand out among their neighbors just like Betenbough stands out among other corporate cultures. Shannon watched both those groups of people accept being different as a good thing. Their distinctions didn’t form a barrier to their neighbors; instead, they served as catalyst for connection.
“I see now that I’m not just called to be me at home and around those I’m comfortable with,” Shannon expresses. “I’ve been inspired to be me everywhere, even in uncomfortable situations. I can stand in my faith wherever I am.”
And with that realization, Shannon returned home not just changed, but called. Called to be a good neighbor to the people who live near her or work beside her. Called to be herself, fully and faithfully, even in the high-stakes world of finance. Called to stop compartmentalizing her faith. And called to practice the art of neighboring.
