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"So how was China?!” Always a challenge to know where to start with that question, but the short answer is that on the whole it was wonderful, with the usual quirks of any short-term project. A few highlights from my six weeks this summer with ELIC (www.elic.org):
- Surprise! Turns out I was not teaching Chinese teachers of English as I’d expected, but instead teaching oral English to undergraduate and graduate students from several universities in Tianjin (just east of Beijing), hosted by the Tianjin Institute of Software Engineering. Yes, flexibility is essential.
- Truly loved being with these Chinese university students, whose hearts are so open to us and to the world at large. I’m a Cold War baby myself, so the opportunity to connect with this rising generation of Chinese professionals challenged my own stereotypes and gave me a privileged glimpse into future global relations.
- I learned that it’s OK to be a Christian in China, but it’s not OK to talk about it (much). On the one hand, I was thrilled to attend officially registered ‘Three-Self’ Chinese churches and hear the Bible taught openly, and there were times when I had the chance to tell people about my own life and interests. On the other hand, our teacher team was constantly aware that our words and actions were being monitored. I don't know of any significant spiritual breakthroughs as a result of our time in China, but I suspect that the Lord will use the sweet relationships we enjoyed in ways beyond my imagination.
- I also learned (as one billion people already know) that you can eat Chinese food three times a day – with chopsticks – and it’s actually very good. I’m now a convert to the joys of dumplings!
But perhaps most importantly, I came
home convinced that my own call is to theological education rather than
teaching English. I was glad to be in a very different type of service this
summer, in an unfamiliar cultural context, since I’ve been wondering how much
of why I feel drawn to theological education is that at this point in my life
it’s familiar and comfortable. Teaching English was great. Really great. But I
kept noticing that my heart felt fullest when I was teaching the Bible –
spontaneously asked to lead an English Bible lesson at a Three-Self church,
speaking to our teacher team at our home-grown Sunday worship services,
whatever. I think that's what God made me for.
So… here’s what’s happening next. I’ve applied to Serge (formerly World Harvest, www.serge.org) mission to help them define and develop their involvement in global theological education. They’ve invited me to their ‘assessment & orientation’ week in Philadelphia, Sept 13-18. Assuming we all feel the same sense of confirmation by the end of that week, I’ll become a theological education specialist with Serge, a role that involves traveling to teach in various theological schools worldwide where Serge is developing partnerships. Still trying to discern whether it’s best for me to be based here in Charlottesville or with one of Serge’s teams somewhere overseas – we’re waiting on the Lord for some of those ‘small’ (!) details to become clearer.
At the same time, I’ve applied for a co-operative appointment between Serge and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), which means also becoming a missionary with EPC World Outreach (www.epc.org/wo), fulfilling a dream of mine to be an extension of my church and denomination serving overseas. Still doing all the paperwork for that, but the door seems open and I think I’ll end up going to Michigan for a few days the first week in September to meet people in the World Outreach office there.
Hopefully all this mission admin stuff will be sorted before I leave on Sept 23rd for… India! I’m returning to the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (www.saiacs.org) in Bangalore to teach hermeneutics and Greek for two months. This will be my fourth visit to SAIACS and I’m looking forward to reconnecting with former students as well as meeting a whole new batch. Plus, while I’m in India it looks like I’ll also be teaching an online course in hermeneutics for Fuller Theological Seminary. (Very good news, as I need the income – not gonna lie!)
You’ve probably figured out by now that after two years of wandering through the hot dry sand of the wilderness it seems like the Lord is finally leading me forward. That’s a great feeling. But I also want to hold onto the sense of intimacy and dependence he’s given me during several of the hardest years of my life. I’ve learned two very important things during these dark times: God is right here with me in the midst of it. And, he is good.
So… here’s what’s happening next. I’ve applied to Serge (formerly World Harvest, www.serge.org) mission to help them define and develop their involvement in global theological education. They’ve invited me to their ‘assessment & orientation’ week in Philadelphia, Sept 13-18. Assuming we all feel the same sense of confirmation by the end of that week, I’ll become a theological education specialist with Serge, a role that involves traveling to teach in various theological schools worldwide where Serge is developing partnerships. Still trying to discern whether it’s best for me to be based here in Charlottesville or with one of Serge’s teams somewhere overseas – we’re waiting on the Lord for some of those ‘small’ (!) details to become clearer.
At the same time, I’ve applied for a co-operative appointment between Serge and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), which means also becoming a missionary with EPC World Outreach (www.epc.org/wo), fulfilling a dream of mine to be an extension of my church and denomination serving overseas. Still doing all the paperwork for that, but the door seems open and I think I’ll end up going to Michigan for a few days the first week in September to meet people in the World Outreach office there.
Hopefully all this mission admin stuff will be sorted before I leave on Sept 23rd for… India! I’m returning to the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (www.saiacs.org) in Bangalore to teach hermeneutics and Greek for two months. This will be my fourth visit to SAIACS and I’m looking forward to reconnecting with former students as well as meeting a whole new batch. Plus, while I’m in India it looks like I’ll also be teaching an online course in hermeneutics for Fuller Theological Seminary. (Very good news, as I need the income – not gonna lie!)
You’ve probably figured out by now that after two years of wandering through the hot dry sand of the wilderness it seems like the Lord is finally leading me forward. That’s a great feeling. But I also want to hold onto the sense of intimacy and dependence he’s given me during several of the hardest years of my life. I’ve learned two very important things during these dark times: God is right here with me in the midst of it. And, he is good.
Such a privilege to spend the summer loving on
these undergrad and graduate students in China!
