May was the graduation season and the last month of our ISEED training. Besides experiencing students and visiting scholars leaving the city or going back home, I also personally am experiencing a big transition, finishing up the training program and preparing myself to full-time ministry. Allowing myself to fully process my emotions during students’ leaving and to mentally prepare for new things that God is going to in store is important during this transition season.
On May 4, two of the visiting scholars and I met in a volunteer’s home. That was really a nice farewell gathering before they went back to China the next week. They received Bible as the gifts, and more importantly, we got to go over different books of Bibles and marked down some verses. One of the scholars has a three-year-old daughter in China, so she got a book of Bible stories for Children. Both were so spiritually-open and eager to know about faith in Jesus. We built beautiful friendship and my prayer is that God continues to provide opportunities for me to keep in touch with them even though they went back to China.
On May 11, we have our last Bible study group gathering at UALC this semester. We have a lot of law school students graduating in our small group. We have the privilege to pray for each of them with God’s blessings and leading. A lot of them came to the OSU last year without any knowledge about Jesus, like I myself three years ago, but now they are willing to pray for God’s wisdom in Jesus name. They got to know Jesus through IFI’s Bible study, only in a year while they were pursuing their degree. God has a wonderful ministry here through IFI. I have started meeting with one of the students L one-on-one when I felt the Lord’s leading this March. During our fellowship time on May 26, she decided to follow Jesus, to see Him as her savior and Lord. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to share Faith with her, answering our prayers, and showing His ministry among international students through L’s story. It was such a joy and encouragement from God!
On May 31 – June 3, I went to the annual International Student Conference held by ACMI (Association of Christians Ministering among Internationals). I was encouraged in so many ways. As an international female younger ISM worker, I joined a panel session for recruiting international ISM workers to hear other ISM female workers’ struggles and victories sincerely; I got to join a workshop discussing the innovations and future needs of ISM; I was encouraged to pursue more education and research in ISM connecting with my interested field (counseling). I was challenged to jump out of my small thinking box and see a bigger picture of what God is doing through ISM globally. (Ask me about it if you would like to know more about this! 😊)
Coming to June, I felt God’s leading in a season of purposeful rest in Him, in listening to His voice, guidance, and timing in finishing my current job and transition to full-time ministry with IFI, and in focusing on building deeper relationships with students and co-workers. As I finished my ISEED training journey, my prayer is that I could always have a faithful, teachable, and available heart for Jesus. Though I won’t post more blogs here on the ISEED page moving forward, I look forward to sharing and connecting with you personally about God’s continual work through me and in me.
Thank you for been supporting and praying for me. May God bless you!