Vacillation

Our friend Weicong was struggling with acceptance recently, but not from someone in particular. MSU was holding Weicong in limbo between acceptance and denial for continuing education as a graduate student. At first it seemed likely, then they told him no, and then again they were reconsidering his acceptance a second time. This vacillation lasted most of the Spring semester and caused much frustration for our foreign friend. It seemed like our time in close proximity was nearing an end.

We've experienced many lifelong memories with our friend Weicong. It's been a real honor to get to know him, and to say goodbye at this point, just when we are drawing closer together, would be a huge disappointment. I'm sure he would say the same about us, and the truth is that we've learned just as much from him as he has from us.

Weicong's story is not an uncommon one compared to the other Chinese students at MSU. Following suit with the rest of the foreign student population, his time here has been fraught with intercultural complications. This very frustration presents itself as one of the best opportunities we have, as US citizens and Christians alike, to reach out with Christ-like love to the nations. When we step in and fill a gap in someone's life the results can be lifelong and beautiful.

"If I don't get into a top school like Harvard, I want to stay at MSU. I want to be near you."

Recently while still uncertain about whether or not he would stay, Weicong said of us, "If I don't get into a top school like Harvard, I want to stay at MSU. I want to be near you." Sometimes you don't know just how deep a simple friendship based on uncomplicated kindness can reach. He may continue to vacillate between faith in Christ and ancient Chinese beliefs, but in the matter of keeping a lifelong friend the decision has already been set in stone.

The decision process for Weicong's grad school acceptance had taken several months and Weicong only just found out whether or not his ticket to China should include a return trip, which it will! Weicong will indeed return in the fall and we can continue to forge a deeper relationship. I pray that as we continue to uncover deeper truths about each other that all Weicong finds at my core is a deep love for Jesus Christ. I know there is nothing more attractive than discovering this treasure within someone else. A decision will always be made regarding matters of great importance, and I hope to be there for Weicong in the future for more than just education and airfare.

Discipling the Unlikely

Do you ever catch yourself labeling people "least likely to get saved" or "closest to the kingdom"? I know I do at times, without even meaning to.

Well, doesn't God just like to burst our little bubble.

One student in particular we thought was least likely. Weicong (pictured above, far left) started coming to Bible study just because he was new to MSU and he had friends there. Eventually those friends left MSU, but he stayed at Bible study.

I feel like maybe we spent more time investing in other students because we expected he wasn't as interested. We eventually realized that maybe God was working in his heart, too. So recently Andy asked him if he would like to do more intentional one-on-one discipleship, to which he replied, "Of course!" Maybe we shouldn't have been surprised, but we were! He and Andy have been now meeting regularly and going through the Purple Book. 

More on discipleship....

We are called to go and make DISCIPLES. Jesus spent three years just living life with his disciples. It has become increasingly clear to us that a lot of Kingdom of God stuff happens in a normal, daily-living, yet intentional discipleship context.

Chi Alpha is acting on this conviction with separate discipleship groups for the girls and guys. We're being open and honest, pursuing God and truth together, and experiencing change in our lives. We also meet with several students one-on-one.

Sometimes it's shocking to discover what some students don't know about God. There is no shame in this – it just brings to light what kind of issues are so easily missed when there isn’t intentional discipleship.