Students
Partners
Last year, I came to Canada. At the time, my English was so poor. While one of my roommates, Vivian, she introduces me to FC (Focus Club), but she doesn’t tell me it’s a Christian club. Just like open every Friday nite, there is a lots of IS (International Students) like me, & it also offers free dinner.
En~ (um…) it sounds great. BCZ (because) I can improve my english and also make friends over there. That is really what I’m looking for at that moment~ unfortunately, I was not very comfortable that day, bcz my back was really painful. But I still try to go FC with an exciting and curious heart.U can imagine that a loneliness IS find a place, The people over there are so kind and friendly, & they give me a feeling which is just like at home.
Everything goes smoothly at the beginning, we hv dinner and games. However, the pain comes from my back becoming stronger. After dinner, we sing worship song together. I suddenly realized that this is a Christian club and I hv to leave. But the song calms my anxious heart and heals my backache. I still can remember the song’s name which is 10,000 reasons. So I decided to stay at here until it finished. And then, we hv group discussion.
Before I leaving, there was a nice lady who prayed for me – Karen, who also introduced me to my friendship partner family. That was my first time to be prayed by a stranger. I was really touched by her. Gradually, I try to pray and read bible. Last semester, my Christ(ian) mentor lead me to become a real Christian. She asked me: Do you want to be Christian?
There were so many kinds of refused words in my brain, bcz I thought I wasn’t ready to be a Christian. But a yes jumps out of my mouth. She tried to make sure that I really wanted to become a Christian, and I keep saying
Yes, I want~
Now, I read the Bible, pray to God and go to church.
That’s my sttory. I am very thankful to focus club and ISMC for opening their hears to international students.
Hello, everyone, My name is Etta, I became a Christian this year on 25th January. Before knowing God, I did not bother thinking about the true meaning of life. I assumed that going to a good university, finding a decent job, and then getting married were ordinary pathways people lived through. After becoming a Christian, my world view was completely changed. I realized how carelessly I have been living my life. The journey of seeking God was growing process for me. I started to see myself as a precious daughter of God. I believed strongly that God created me for a purpose. Because of faith, I have a foretaste of joy and hope that this earth could not give.
Two years ago, I witnessed an infant dying in a mother’s womb. I was astonished by how vulnerable life could be. I used to take my earthly life for granted. So often, I was discontent with that I already had and trying so hard to make my life more significant. I forget that each individual life was a gift from God. Before trying to make life meaningful, I should thank God for giving me life so that everything could happen.
As I reflected over the loss of life, I started to see that life from the very beginning was always pure, simple and vulnerable. Mixed feelings wept through me when I saw children afterwards. I began to have a strong sympathy for little kids. I felt that God was calling me to protect children with all my heart and strength. In the same year, I was struggling to decide which major to take in university. Honestly, before the infant’s loss, I did not value children’s education as much as other occupations. After that, my indifference towards children totally changed. God has transformed my heart so that I could be sensitive to children’s needs and feelings. He gave me the passion and led me to my current major in early childhood education.
Now I am a 4th year student, I have learned so much about children’s development. I am currently volunteering in my church Sunday school and also at a kindergarten class. My volunteer experience showed me that I need more training in this area. So after graduation, I‘ll most likely pursue a teaching certificate in UBC. I’m still praying and asking God if I should stay in Canada or return to Chins. No mater where I end up, I know that every child in anywhere in this world need a teacher who loves them unconditionally and helps them grow in to who God has created them to be.