Have you met the interns yet? They're pretty amazing. The following post is from Kristin Caldwell. She's a graduate of Central Washington University and is becoming an expert at navigating public transportation in the city.
I had
only been at Central Washington University for five days before I discovered
Chi Alpha. My friend Anna invited me to come with her to the pizza party Chi
Alpha was having in place of their usual Tuesday night worship meeting. The
room was full when we arrived, so we got our pizza and sat by ourselves
outside. Even though we weren't inside with everyone else, it wasn't long
before someone came and started getting to know us.
This
person's name was Rachel, and she was an intern with Chi Alpha. She was the
first person I met in Chi Alpha, and she ended up being my mentor that year. As
a result of her meeting with me every week, my life started changing
dramatically. Because of her example and the example of so many other students
in this community, I saw what Jesus' call to follow Him really looks like. I
had grown up Christian, but somehow what a real relationship with God actually
looked like in practice had never quite translated. I had never before seen
people so open about their faith.
I also
had never had anyone mentor me before, so having someone actively asking me
questions about what I thought about a particular passage of Scripture was a
totally new experience. As was having someone praying with me consistently. Not
just praying for me, but actually with me. And so I started growing like crazy
because I quickly realized that what she had was something I wanted.
Five
years later, I'm here in DC as an intern myself learning how to be a campus
missionary. What I am most excited for is to learn how to pour into students as
I was poured into myself. The community as a whole made a big impact, but it
was this single relationship with Rachel that really made the biggest
difference. What happens this year will probably look very different than what
I experienced as a freshman, but I'm excited to see how God grows and stretches
me through it all.
Needless
to say, being a campus missionary requires me to spend a huge portion of my
time with people. I'm naturally an introvert, so being around people as much as
I am every day is definitely a stretch. I'm learning that even though I'm not
naturally outgoing doesn't mean that God can't use me. I'm also realizing more
and more that my way of doing ministry probably looks different than those
around me, and that's okay. I'm realizing too that the numbers don't matter as
much as long as I'm obedient to God and love the students He has placed in my
life as best I can. That was ultimately what made all the difference for me.
The biggest impact on my life came from someone spending time with me. Looking
back at my relationship with Rachel, I really don't remember that many specific
conversations. What I do remember is the time she invested in me, whether we
were talking about God or not. I'm excited to learn how to do the same.
