Friday
night gathering. We asked about the religious background of our countries and the cultural practices that go on with them. A. shared the following. “My grandparents go to the temple to worship, …what is that?....Buddha, on the 1st and 15th of the month. They’d bow and buy food at the temple that we’d eat and bring some of the food back to our house and put it before the …the…” “Buddha?” “Yeah. And we’d put a picture next to the house, I don’t know why, to keep the bad spirits away.” My heart broke for her family. The next question was “What do you think of when you hear the word God?” This same student said “I think it is a psy…psych..” “Psychological?” “Psychological thing, for weakness …” Another student pointed to the wall where a picture of Jesus was. “I think of God as like that…with a …halo on his head.” Her friend agreed. The four of us who were Christians also shared our opinions; one of the American students said “God is love.” I felt, for the first time, encouraged both by the fact that we’re able to speak freely about these topics with the students and that the students feel free to share their thoughts. Yet, my heart hurts for them as they still have a long way to come. Please pray for them. S’s story Today I met with S over lunch. Actually, she met me at church as well. I had to teach children's’ church so we were only in the service part of the time. She, surprisingly, was eager to get together when I mentioned it on Facebook and then, via text, she responded to my invite to come to church! Now that I know more of her story, I may be someone God led to encourage her, but I’d say she did more to encourage me! She followed me over from church to the visitor parking lot at George Fox. “Is that your car?” I asked. “It’s my sister-n-law’s. I needed a car since I’m living here in Newberg, so my brother let me borrow her car, and he bought her another.” “Ah. So what’s your Korean name?” “W.X. It means good fruit (in Chinese), but actually, I enjoy my American name more because, in my language, it means grace.” “So are you a Christian?” “After I came to the states, I became a Christian.” “Oh, really? What’s your story?” “Let’s wait till we’re sitting down.” We reach the restaurant and I insist on paying for our lunch. . “Oh, thank you,” She said, surprised. “So, tell me your story,” I ask once we were seated at a table outside. The leaves falling from the tree above us made the perfect backdrop once we cleared them off the black, metal table. “Well…I came to the US three years ago.” “So did you just decide you wanted to come here to study English?” I said, knowing this is how she started. “Actually, I didn’t want to study English, but my GPA in high school was very low and I couldn’t get into a university in my country. There, if you don’t get in, the rest of your life is pretty much decided for you. I had no hope, and then, my brother got married and moved to the US to teach martial arts. He called me one day because he knew my predicament and asked me if I wanted to come to the US to study English. So I said yes. The first time I didn’t get my visa. Everyone told me it was harder the first time, so I just prayed to God. I said, ‘I don’t know who you are, but I’ve heard your name, G-O-D, and if you are there, then make me be able to pass the test, and I will give my life to you.’ And you know, I’d signed up for the next appointment shortly after I didn’t get it the first time so there wasn’t that much time between the two meetings and so my English wasn’t any better, but this time the lady didn’t ask me that many questions. She just asked me a few and then stamped my visa! So I know it wasn’t me, but it was God. And I came to the US and forgot about my promise, but as we were driving to school each day, I kept seeing all these crosses out the window and that reminded me, ‘I need to go there.’ But I lived with my brother and sister-n-law, and my brother is anti-Christian. He’s an atheist, so when I asked him, he said no. But, finally, one time I found a church that was a few blocks from my home, and I could walk to it. So, I asked my brother, and he said ‘you can go and practice your English there’, because he knew I didn’t have any friends. So, I went. The first time I went I didn’t understand any of the sermon. I just knew that I felt and saw the love of people, so I kept going, and I was baptized in that church. My brother was still against my being a Christian. He would fight with me every night about it. One day he and his wife were gone for ten days on a trip. He and I were not on good terms that time, but I just felt a sense that God was asking me to call him and tell him about Jesus. So, I called and I told him that I don’t go to church because I get to practice English there, but I go to church because of God. He got so mad, he told me I couldn’t wear my cross necklace, read the Bible, or go to church as long as I was living with him. I didn’t understand why God had me call him. He called back later and said I could go to church. He said that if I become a nurse one day, he’d become a Christian. So, I really had a reason to work hard and become a nurse. Before I wanted to become a nurse, there was an older nurse in the church named Gretta. I felt if I could be like her my life would be worth it. Now I wanted to be one even more. So, I applied to many nursing schools, and I was rejected. But George Fox accepted me.” “How do you study?” “I study every day of the week all day in the library. It’s very hard, but I do. So, what’s your story?” I told her about my experience, how I went into nursing but never felt at ease about that and then prayed and asked God to change something, but only if it was His will, and He did. Then I went to China, and, then, how God led me back here to work with international students. “Wow, thank you for sharing your story. I didn’t know you were a nursing major,” she said. I was surpristed, I’d never received such a positive response from a student. “Well, quitting the nursing program wasn’t something of which I am proud,” I said. “Yes, but God always uses everything. Back in Korea I wanted to be an actor. I applied to so many acting schools, but I never got in. The application fee for each was close to 1000 dollars and my parents were paying for it. If I had been an actor I would not have come here to learn about Jesus, and I don’t think I’d have the same passion for acting as I do for nursing. I didn’t used to love people, but God changed my heart. Now I want to work in Geriatrics. In church there were a lot of older people, and when we’d have time for prayers, they’d sometimes share about things because their health wasn’t good, and now I want to work with geriatric patients. “ We continued talking and somehow I ended up sharing about how I need to ask people for support. She, again shared a couple of encouraging stories. “I had absolutely no money because my brother said I needed to focus on studies, and not work, and they didn’t understand, so I had no money to spend. Even if some of my friends from church suggested we go out to eat, I had to make some excuse, and sometimes lied, saying I forgot my purse at home. So one week there was going to be a church retreat and I wanted money to go, but my brother wouldn’t give me money because he didn’t believe I needed to do that, and he’s against Christians. So, I told God about this. One of the people in the church said they wanted to throw me a party because I’d just graduated from community college. So, I went and after everyone left, I opened up an envelope and there was money in it. There was enough money from that party that I was able to pay for the retreat and a little more and some gift cards that I bought some things to take with me. Another time, the offering plate was passed. I had absolutely no money to give every week, so I prayed, and I said, ‘Okay God, I have no money to give so I’m going to put in my heart’ and after the plate passed the woman sitting next to me said, ‘Here, I have something for you,’ and she gave me ten dollars! Another time in my conversation with Serena, she said that she’d helped out at a kids camp. “...and before I went I prayed that we’d be able to get all eight to become Christians, but once I got there, oh wow!” “You said you’d be happy if one became a Christian,” I laughed. “Yes, they stayed up talking all night for three nights. But two of them became Christians! And I could see a difference after the third day. God was working on their hearts. After that week I said I’m not coming back, but we’ll see. 9.17
1. Prepared addresses to give city supervisor. He's sending out invites for our area ISI banquet. I'm hoping some of my partners can come as it's a wonderful time of testimony and fellowship and good food! 2. Talked with a pastor this morning. He's too busy to speak at international chapel this week but is thinking about the 4th. He asked how the ministry is going. It's always encouraging to have that question asked when you know that people are really interested. I, also, had the opportunity to ask how I can be praying for him and his congregation. 3. Met with a friend for lunch. She's very involved the in international student ministry, and we talked about some of the students and how we can best serve them. 4. Went to the Bruins’ Den (commons area) and met with a student who had approached me the week before. We'll call her L.* L and I had had a loose connection in the year prior. Toward the end of the year she'd spent a half hour or so telling me about her hometown. When she saw me last week she was very enthusiastic and eager to talk with me. We talked for a good half hour, or so, before I asked if we could get together next week. She agreed and told me when and where. I sat down with her at a table today at the designated time. One of L’s friend’s J* was, also, there. She and I also know each other from previous conversations. The three of us chatted for a good hour. The following is part of our conversation… "Do you still keep in contact with that Korean pastor?" L* asked. I was surprised she remembered. She must have gone to some of the Bible studies that this friend of mine in college, had hosted. "Yes," I replied. "By email a little. Did you come to some of the Bible studies?" It had been so long and I'd forgotten. Yet she'd remembered and could name the people that were there that day. I was surprised. I remembered praying for a student who had joined the bible study toward the end of the year. Was it she? I could not remember. Sensing an opening I asked more about what she remembered. She opened up more, telling me about a book she'd been reading. "Christianity is confusing. I am from a totally different world view. I am an atheist and sometimes my ideas and the Christian ideas collide." (Not a direct quote of what she said but rather a paraphrase.) I nodded, remembering well how this was true. "What are some of the main ideas that you remember that are in conflict?" I asked. L* began to tell me of how the book talked about God as being the creator of language with all other forms of communication coming from that. "Where do languages come from anyways?" J* asked. "Well...there's a story in the Bible called the Tower of Babel." She remembered. I asked her to share the story with L*. And then J* had more questions regarding this topic and so did L. I did my best to explain why God would choose to change the languages of people and stop them from building a tower. I finished my explanation with a brief explanation of the gospel. All was quiet for about a minute. "Why isn't anyone talking?' J* asked. "Thinking..." L* replied. Both of these are international students. I didn't have a close connection with either. These moments can only be explained by God. 5. I helped lead a meeting organizing a group of servant leaders who help us run our Friday night gatherings. I rushed through everything, trying to get through all the planning in an hour. Next week I hope to move more slowly. They are the heart and soul of the outreach on Fridays and, also, on campus, and I want to be an encouragement to them. 6. Moon Festival was this week. It's China's thanksgiving. I attended the special gathering hosted only for international students. One of my good student friends, Y*, met me at the door. I ate dinner with a large group of returning students. The room was packed. I think all 150 Chinese students must have been in attendance. Jen, who works for the International Department and Fox, and I and two international students carried leftover plastic silverware and napkins to the International House/Offices. After putting things away she invited me to join the CREW (Campus Crusade for Christ) meeting held in that very same place in just a little less than a half hour. I walked out, intending to exercise, but something called me back. What if some students there wanted to be involved in reaching out to international students? After a very wonderful and challenging time of getting to know each other, and a lesson on evangelism and false expectations of what we expect peoples’ spiritual needs to be, people began to dissipate. Jennifer, however, introduced me to the Student Body president, who, she said, had a heart to reach international students. He nodded when she said this statement and accepted my invite to meet sometime to talk about this very thing. Then he told me there was someone at this meeting that spoke Chinese. Fourteen white faces, and someone spoke Chinese! “How did I miss that?” I wondered. He found her and brought her over. Someone told us we should talk in Chinese, and so, I asked a question and sure enough--a tall, skinny, white girl that speaks Chinese! And she wants to connect with international students too! |
Archives
March 2020
Categories |