It's been an amazing month, and I want to tell it all, yet most of the time I don't have time to write anything down, let alone a blog that makes sense. But here's a glimpse, for me to remember, and if you so choose, for you to see what God is doing ...
Conversations I've had with different students and scholars ...
- "How does a Christian make decisions? This turned into a question about how she should balance pleasing her parents with her own desire to follow her dreams. And then finally, she began telling me the resentment she's held against her parents for many years because of their lack of interest in her dreams and ideas.
- A couple of deep conversation with a new believing student about sexual purity and relationships with the opposite gender, both short and long term. It was neat pointing her to a Biblical world view and challenging the assumptions of the larger culture. Ironically, after she talked with me she found a book in Good Will by a well renown Christian regarding relationships and in the front page he talks about conversations he's had with international students! Another added bonus of the week was that while working out with her, I informed her about the True Leadership Conference. She then decided to go!
- An hour long conversation with a scholar about some things she was scared about and struggling with. "You're my only American friend ..." she said at one point. (Lord willing I can help fix that!)
- Visiting with a wonderful group of persons from a local church body who want to make reaching international students a priority.
Events include ...
The wedding of one of our students. She and her husband go with me to a Bible study I attend. They also both decided to become believers and be baptized.
Taking a student to a Bible study at another church. The Bible study is called "Life Explored." And out of this has come some some really great conversations with this student about her framework regarding religion and truth.
Running into a student I don't know well at all at the local gym and being able to have a longer sized conversation with him.
Training one of our students on how to use a simple Bible study method she can use back in her home country to help others learn the Bible. Later I had her facilitate a Bible study with another believing student and not only did I get the chance to train this second student in a Bible study but the first student did an amazing job of facilitating.
I ran into one of the American Christian students at Linfield College I have known from going to a Younglife event or two, in the cafeteria. Together we talked about life and then she took me to the library and we sat there and prayed for each other and the international students on Linfield's campus.
Attending a nice send off of several students who are graduating. I knew all but one of them. It's hard to see them go.
Planning a baby shower with a new volunteer for one of our visiting scholar's wives who is having her baby soon.
After watching some of my students graduate with their masters in teaching degree, I took two international students who were passing out programs to go get ice cream and Chipotle. I then took them to my favorite star watching spot and we sat on the top of my car and talked. One was a believer and one was not. The one who wasn't was telling me about how she'd never done this with friends before.