A few days later, one of my campus partners, Phil, and I were walking around campus trying to think of ways to make more contacts and friends… Our team had set a goal of 100 contacts per person… so that we would have enough phone numbers and students to make appointments [strategic time to share the Gospel] with for the weeks to come. I had only met about 30 or so girls by this time, and so I was praying for big things that day as I went onto campus. After hitting the lunch rush and meeting several girls there, Phil suggested that we try the volleyball courts to see if anyone was playing. On our way there, I needed to use the washroom. The closest building we had come to was a Foreign Language classroom building. So I asked a group of girls nearby to show me to the washroom, and on our way there… I heard my name being shouted from down the hallway. It was Summer! Summer and I chatted while the group of girls who had shown me to the washroom wrote down their contact information, and then she [Summer] grabbed my arm and whisked me off to class with her!
"Are you sure I can go to your class, Summer?" - me
"Yes, of course. My teacher will be pleased!" - Summer
Next thing I know, I am in a international business course with about 100 other East Asian college students. As I'm sitting there, wondering what will happen next… the teacher comes in and begins taking role. It wasn't long before she realized there was an American sitting in the middle of her classroom. Soon after she noticed me, I was beckoned to the front of the room.
"She wants you to go up there and give a presentation about America" - Summer
"A what?! Summer, I don't know about this…" - me
My resistance didn't last long…. my "presentation about America" however was more or less just a Question and Answer session about my life. It was really fun, and check out how God used it.
"What are you doing here?" - student
"I came to study the language and culture and hopefully make some friends" - me
*girl stands up abruptly in the back of the room and proclaims*
"My name is Christeena and I would like to be your friend!!!" - Christeena
"ME TOO!!!" - Chorus of 50 women…
I laid my contact book on a table, and 50 GIRLS gave me their names and phone numbers!!!! INCREDIBLE. God used my "accidental" encounter with Summer to not only give me another opportunity to hanging out with her, but to completely satisfy the need for other contacts!! I was blown away… And just when I thought it couldn't get any better… the time rolled around for my conversation with Summer about the Gospel.
We had set up a different day to meet because that day she didn't have any free time after class [she had another class after that one ended]. So, that Thursday, Summer met me at the gate of her school. To my disappointment… she wasn't alone. She had brought her boyfriend and two of his friends. In my mind, the most successful appointments were the ones with the least amount of distractions… but, little did I know, God had other plans :)
We made our way into the cafeteria for lunch, and my mind continued to race with ideas of how to ditch the boys… then Summer suggested that we all sit in a quiet corner of the cafeteria. We grabbed our lunches and sat down to chat. Her boyfriend barely spoke any English at all, and Kaitlin [another campus partner] was able to keep the others at the table occupied with intentional conversation while I spoke with Summer. The conversation wasn't going anywhere Spiritual fast, and I was starting to feel discouraged.
BUT THEN… at a barely audible level Summer said - "Ali, are you a Christian?"
I almost choked on my noodles.
"Did you ask me if I was a Christian?" I asked for verification.
"YES! Are you?" - Summer.
"Yes! I am!"
"Really?! My aunt is a Christian and she gave me a bible. She's taken me to church with her a few times, but I don't really understand much. Can you tell me about it?" - Summer
CHA-CHING!
My heart LEAPED with joy! I told her I would love to talk more about it, and asked if we could go somewhere a little less crowded for "girl talk". That got rid of the guys… :) I had also asked earlier in the conversation if I could see her dormitory, so that's where we headed to talk. Upon arrival at her dormitory… her Japanese roommate and 3 others [of the 6 total roommates] were also in the room. Summer and I then began walking through the Gospel… her English was very good… and I could tell she "understood" everything I was saying, but it wasn't clicking… Still, the Spirit urged me to press on… We began to talk about life, love, and dreams… she asked me if I had any dreams and what I thought love was. We were running out of time, so I told her I would think about her questions, and have a good answer for her next time.
Next time came - I answered her questions by sharing my testimony. There was an almost immediate difference in her response. Suddenly, she understood that this was more than just a story… and it was even more than just something that was really important to me. But she had a lot of questions… So we talked. And boy, oh, boy did we talk! We talked for a good hour and a half before she finally said…
"This is AMAZING… but how? What do I have to do to get this God? I must give him something?"
Ephesians 2:8-9 " For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Revelation 3:20 "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
"Ali, I want to open the door of my heart. I want to receive the gift and know God!" - Summer
I am surprised that by this point I wasn't sobbing… We confirmed in conversation that she had a clear understanding of the Gospel, and that she wanted Jesus! IT WAS SO EXCITING! She prayed in East Asian… and I had no idea what she was saying… so at the end I asked…
"Summer, what did you say to God?" - me
"I told him THANK YOU for sending you here to tell me all of this wonderful news! Then I asked him to come and live in my heart so that I can have the gift and relationship with Him!" - Summer
"SUMMER! That's so great! Do you know what this means?" - me
"What?" - Summer
"John 1:12 - Yet to all who receive Him, to those who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God!" - me
"So then we are SISTERS!!!!" - Summer
"YES!! :) Not only have you now received complete forgiveness of your sin and had your relationship with God restored by Jesus… but we get to be SISTERS!!! Isn't that amazing?!" - me
"YES AMAZING!!" - Summer, with the biggest smile and hug :)
We prayed together one final time… and at the very end of our conversation… she looked at me and said…
"Ali, more people in East Asia need to know about this.. and I want to tell them." - Summer
BOOM - that's all I can think to say. Man... God knows what He's doing… why He chose to send a wretch like me, I'll never fully understand… but WOW was I blessed to get an opportunity to share this moment with my dear sister! I truly believe that God is going to use her to reach many of her family and friends… possibly even the rest of the world! The last few weeks in East Asia were during finals for many of my friends, so I didn't see a whole lot of Summer… but we met one more time before I left and so I used it as an opportunity to presented her with a journal as a gift with some of my favorite scripture and encouragements in it. We had a great follow up conversation about how she can continue to grow in her relationship with God, and that day God allowed me a little glimpse into what He plans on using Summer for….
"Ali, I called my aunt as soon as we parted and she confirmed everything you tell me is true. I am so excited. I have told my boyfriend and my roommates. This news, it is the greatest gift I ever have gotten. Thank you for coming to East Asia. Thank you for being my friend." - Summer
Heart. Broken. [in a good way]
I hated to leave.. but isn't it encouraging to know that God keeps His promises?? I love remembering what God did in Summer's life during my brief time in East Asia… because it reminds me of this truth -
Matthew 24:14 "And this Gospel of the Kingdom WILL BE proclaimed throughout the WHOLE WORLD as a testimony to ALL NATIONS, and then the end will come!"
God's Glory will be proclaimed… and I can't wait to see the GLORIOUS day when He returns and calls my sister, Summer, and I home :)
No comments:
Post a Comment