This is a special entry of stories and experiences from lots of our students in their own words. We asked all the students and leaders on the project to share with us some of their experiences and the things that God has been teaching them. Here are just a few of the many, many ways that our students have been seeing God work.
An older man came up to me and was wondering what I was sharing with all of the people around the bus stop. I told him that I was sharing the good news of God and my faith. He gave me a strange look of surprise and contempt. He asked why I was sharing about God. He told me it was not yet my time to teach. I looked up into his eyes and smiled as God put the words in my mouth: “I’ve been changed. And it doesn’t matter how old you are if God changes you. I can’t keep this joy to myself.” The man was thoughtful for awhile and we continued to talk for a little bit more, but he had to leave. But he said he was really interested in talking to me again. Me – the boy who was “too young,” but the boy who God changed. –Josh W.
It’s hard to look in the eyes of a woman infected with a deadly disease, who has three children, no husband, and has been ostracized by her community and give her hope. But it struck me that I, a 16-year-old, could give these women all the hope in the world by telling them about God. So when Aunt Donna asked me to share my testimony, and I had no idea what to say, God spoke through me and one woman prayed to receive Christ. But the moment I will never forget is when I looked up at her, and she was crying as she was saying this prayer to receive Jesus. I knew then that God used me to give this woman eternal hope. –Misa C.
A popular thing here is having your shoes cleaned by boys on the street for about 40 cents. While doing this, I looked down at the boy in rags and realized he was about my age. Instantly it struck me how easily that could have been me. Why did God decide to make the rich person getting his shoes cleaned instead of the impoverished, ragged shoe cleaner? How easily could the roles have been reversed? What did I do to deserve who I am, and what did he do to deserve who he is? –Ben J.
We were at Hanna’s Orphanage playing games with some of the younger kids. One girl sat in the back of the classroom, refusing to play. I went over to her and started talking to her. At one point, I asked her if she had any brothers or sisters with her at the orphanage. She looked at me, confused. Then she made a motion to all the other kids playing games – “They’re all my brothers and sisters.” – Catherine S.
We were so excited about evangelism, but as soon as we stepped off the bus, it began to pour. I wasn’t sure how we would reach people with everyone off the streets, but we ducked into a coffee shop. The place was packed with influential-looking men who had nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait out the rain. After ordering tea, we sat down next to a man who said he was willing to talk, probably intrigued by our presence. Through a translator, I asked him if I could tell him about something that changed by life and went directly into the Four Laws. But the man wasn’t interested. After explaining everything to him, he said he did not want to pray. However, by this time, the entire coffee shop was interested in these foreigners and their religion. So we began a conversation with a man who seemed really interested. He began to question us about denominations, saints, angels, and baptism. These are major points of conflict between Orthodox and Protestants, and I was warned that anything I might say about these subjects might turn him off. But the voice of God reminded me of what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2 – to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I told the man that doctrinal details were important but that a relationship with God is all that ultimately matters. It was amazing to see the peace and joy on the face of that man who heard that Christianity is a matter of relationship not details. The man gave me his phone number, and we made plans to talk again. He said he wanted to pray with me, and it was amazing to watch God work even through the things I thought would hinder our ministry. –Justin G.
I have been amazed by the emotional needs of Ethiopian orphans. Every one of them reaches out to be touched, to have their tiny hands held in mine, to be hugged and carried, to be loved. I entered one nursery room with another leader and two tiny boys bee-lined to each of us, heads at our knee level and arms outstretched. We carried and played with them, and to leave broke our hearts and theirs. Me need for God should be that great, my desire to never be away from Him. –Sharon W.
One thing I’m learning is that God’s timing is always perfect. He has a reason and a plan for everything, and he’s been showing me this multiple times this week already! On our second day of campus ministry, we were on our way to the campus trying to figure out the best way to share the gospel when all of a sudden it began to pour. We sprinted across the street into a café where people were waiting out the rain. We began to talk with a man about the weather and when we dove into the Four Spiritual Laws. We were only talking to one man, but the whole café was hearing the gospel. Finally he said he wasn’t interested, but two other men were, and we went to share the four laws with them instead. They weren’t quite ready to accept God, but we set up an appointment to meet with them again. God allowed us to go into that café and his hand was definitely in this meeting. –Elisa N.
VBS kind of gets repetitive. We sing the same songs, listen to someone tell the story of Zacchaeus, play the same games. It’s really easy to not have the same amount of enthusiasm that we had the first day. I was thinking about this on the way to the church on Wednesday, and as soon as we stepped off the bus, we heard chanting. As we got closer to the church, the chanting grew louder. When we stepped inside, one hundred little kids began screaming like we were some huge rock stars appearing in their tiny church. It was then I realized that it doesn’t matter how we feel about the things we are doing. Why would I ever want to have less enthusiasm when it is clearly the biggest deal in the world to these kids? I am here to serve them, not for them to make sure that I don’t get bored of making little kids happy. I am here to serve, not be served. –Kendall S.My eyes were opened earlier this week by a lonely man on the side of the road. My Ethiopian ministry partner Meklit and I were out evangelizing and sharing the good news. We had just left a rather disappointing conversation with a group of Orthodox Ethiopians who would not listen to our stories. As we were walking to our meeting place, Meklit stopped and pointed to a man sitting along trying to sell nuts. We rushed over to him to ask him if he knew Jesus. After conversing with him in Amharic, Meklit explained to me that his name was Marcus and he was once a fervent protestant believer who loved Jesus. He lived in the countryside but had come to Addis Ababa to find work. When he came, he had no friends and no one to talk to. He felt as if Jesus had left his life. So he became Orthodox, just like so many people around us. Meklit asked me if I had anything to say to him. I said that Jesus had not abandoned him, and that Jesus loved him. After I share the Four Spiritual laws with him, the strangest thing happened. He said he wanted to follow us to our meeting place. When we brought him, I prayed for him, and he prayed to receive Christ once again. For someone to just get up and follow because of Jesus is the most powerful thing I may have ever seen. The Holy Spirit was working in me and Meklit, and God himself brought Marcus back to the Cross. –Micah L.
This week we went into the slums to visit women with HIV. I didn’t know what to expect at all, so I couldn’t prepare myself. There was one woman we visited who lived in a house that was ¼ of my room, made out of scraps of metal and newspaper. We all squeezed into the room as she told me the story of how she was sold as a house girl. She was living in the place with seven children. I couldn’t believe that they all had to live there with only one bed to sleep on at night. She was abandoned by her family because of her disease and living in secrecy as well. I wonder how she presses on without knowing God. God has been reminding me of the purpose of life – those women live in such harsh conditions, and I go home to luxury. It’s made me realize that all the things that consume my life at home aren’t important, but that all we truly need is God. –Amanda A.
I was evangelizing in a park outside of a university with four others when a man came up and said he has a question for us. He had apparently overheard us sharing the Four Laws the other day. He asked if we believed in truth, which then led to a discussion that headed nowhere. But nearby there was another man who later I was able to share Christ with and who prayed to receive Christ. If the first man hadn’t held me up, I most likely wouldn’t have met the other man. It just shows God’s ultimate purpose and planning, even using seemingly negative situations. –Marc S.
I’ve seen more poverty this week that I have in my entire life. I’ve seen countless begging mothers, families living in mud houses half the size of our bathrooms, and children with no home or family. As sad as this is, it’s easy for me to push it into the back of my mind, simply because I don’t want to feel the hurt and the sadness they feel. If I strive to be like Christ, doesn’t that mean I should want to feel the way he feels when he sees these people? Doesn’t this mean I should let God break me and let in the sorrow he feels? –Susanna L.
I am blessed reading what God is doing through everyone. Thank you for posting it all.
ReplyDeletewow! I am so happy to see what God is doing through you in Ethiopia.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless!