Dec 19 2011
Sad story of a Asian student, New Jesus followers, A Joyful yet Sad Goodbye
Sad story from this last week that hit me hard. I took a student to the airport to go home this week that I first picked up 6 months ago from an affluent country in Asia. He was an short term English student who happened to be a PhD student. We saw him occasionally at different events but lost track of him as the year went on. Anyway, as we were driving to the airport, I asked him what he planned on doing when he got home, he told me he was planning on quitting his PhD program and getting a job so he could “demonstrate.” “Demonstrate?” I asked him to clarify. He said, “yes, demonstrate against my government.” I was surprised. He is a humble young man, seemingly not too taken to passionate expression. I wasn’t sure what to say.. so I asked, “What kind of job will to do?” He said, “Self-Sustenance.” I was thinking he meant self-employed and I asked him to clarify. He said, “You know, living off of the land, planting vegetables, etc.” All I could say was, “Oh…” I asked why he was doing this. He said, “People from my country have so many things, everything a person could possibly have and yet our people are not happy.” Like Emerson and Thoreau, he sought the peace and meaning by chasing simplicity. At that moment, I realized something. He was a man who was looking for something while here. Something that would sate the angst that he felt living in modern Asian society. I have no doubt God could have filled that void, but I was not sensitive enough to his need. I didn’t sow broadly enough, thinking he would not be interested and so I missed an opportunity. I was sad. I learned alot from the conversation. I needed to salt all my conversations with the Hope that I have in Jesus so if God is working in someone, like this young man, he could identify himself to me.
- A new student Andrew from Nepal made a decision to follow Jesus through one of our volunteers doing Discovery Bible Study with him. God was influencing him in many way through many people and when he read the Bible he recognized what he was looking for.
- We are praising God that several of some of our closest students finished school this last weekend. Still we will miss them dearly. Vritant, Fernando and Bibianna specifically said that we all were their family in Texas (they even said it in a caption on facebook). Cynthia and TCU was showered with many blessings by the team over there. We are very sad to see these very special friends go home.
- We are excited that our student friend, Greg from East Asia welcomed his family to the US to join him after 6 months apart.
Some times God “benches” us in the craziest times to force us to rest. Often he uses illness or family issues to do this important thing. This last week I was exposed to a new way, Jury Duty.
(not to mention the other campuses – UTD, SMU, Northlake, UNT, Collin College, University of Dallas, UT Tyler) Last I checked our UTA Big Howdy team (
still ahead with the Used Item sale this Saturday and the approximately 450 attender Big Howdy Party on the 29th, the rides around Arlington on the 7th (already 50 sign ups) and the Aradhna concert on the 19th where we expect 350-400 students. Of course this all wouldn’t be possible without our incredible and dedicated team of volunteers and staff. At UTA, Ron leads our Howdy team of approximately 150-200 volunteers. It is a generally crazy time and God is blessing us in so many ways.
Thankfully it was at municipal court and I figured the cases are relatively short (it’s really traffic court). As it got closer and closer, I was feeling more frantic about being able to make the time to go. Still, to be able to finish out jury duty with one day of service (likely sitting around and waiting) and to not have to serve again for a while was very inviting. Anyway, I decided to go with an attitude of rest. This was a day off from the frantic daily requirements of life; a time when “I could legitimately say, I can’t do it… I am serving my country.” I was going to take a good book, my facebook app on my phone and just relax.
taken to the court room to be picked… We find out they just handle 30 minutes to 2 hour traffic (mostly speeding) cases. This time I want to be picked… I can go home quicker and I can honestly say I served on a jury in the last 2 years when asked next time. First jury… No… “I’m taking a day of rest… relax” Second Jury… YES! I am picked… but we have to go up to the 9th floor to wait for our turn for the second case.
The case was relatively short, cut and dried. The defendant was trying to be “Denny Crane” on Boston Legal but no one bothered to tell him he was in traffic court and really, in real court… Boston Legal would not cut it. Actually in contrast to the obviously new, just-out-of-law-school but professional Assistant DA, his case really felt like a grown up version of “My dog ate my homework” with little substance but much passion. Anyway… I’m not going to let it bother me because “I’m taking a day of rest…”
The last couple of days I have been feeling a bit weary and tired. So many things have been happening, God has been working, and its been non-stop. As is typical after so much activity, even God powered activity, it is common to be tired and weary. It reminds me of the show down between Elijah and the priests of Baal and how he was a weary wreck after his major victory. Anyway, it has been a rough week and yet God was so faithful in allowing me some simple pleasures amidst trying to catch up with everything else.
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