M’noh yes, my tumblr. Been a while since I wrote in this thing but here goes:
I realize that it’s literally been a year since I graduated from UCLA. Since then, life has been….busy. As some may know, I started attending Evergreen church last August. I currently play on the worship team twice a month (which was a bigger commitment than I thought since I need to play drums for both services, meaning that my Sundays can last from 7 AM to 1 PM), work at C&D Zodiac as a Stress Engineer, volunteer with an organization called ISI (International Students Incorporated…more on this later), and finally, my second job, which is taking classes at USC as a master’s student in Mechanical Engineering. Whew.
Overall, my first semester was a guinea pig semester. I’ve learned that I overbooked myself in commitments and that it’s near impossible to study well on weekdays. I can’t count the amount of times that I would flip to my first page of notes and pass out. I’ve learned that taking classes also presents a conflict with work as I constantly try to sneak in my homework during my work hours, making me both a bad worker and a bad witness in the workplace. So alas, I will no longer even attempt to try two classes a semester plus full-time work. I simply can’t handle it. If I had to break down why I’m trying for a master’s degree in engineering, there would be three reasons. The first is that the program is only 9 classes. The second reason is that now is the best time of my life to get a master’s. I have classmates who are married and have kids and it’s not the most practical thing in the world to try to get a master’s when you’re juggling three duties of parent, worker, and student. Finally, I think a master’s degree from USC will be invaluable in the overall scheme of tent-making, which brings me to my next point.
I currently volunteer with ISI, which is basically an organization that welcomes international students to American culture/friendship. What we do is essentially have dinners and conversation sessions with international students that are interested in coming, not unlike VSET. As a whole, ISI does not present itself as a ‘Christian’ organization though everyone who volunteers in it is Christian. The benefit and purpose of this is that it allows ISI to be gladly welcomed by schools and that it doesn’t scare away people groups. While I was in Perspectives, one lesson I learned that international student ministry is key. More often than not, the international students that come to America are amongst the social elite of their countries. They are the young, wealthy, and educated members of their respective societies and are poised to make an impact on their nation in future years. When they come to America, it gives a huge opportunity to minister onto people whom would otherwise not be easily accessible if missionaries were trying to minister to them in their home countries. I hate to put it this way, but when international students come here, they are more ‘vulnerable’ in the sense that they are new to American culture and taken away from many comfort zones. I view ISI as a ministry in the sense that I am able to build friendships with these students and ultimately share with them about Jesus. That is the driving goal of my involvement with this group.
I know Alan Cee doesn’t read this so I’m gonna rebuke him a little…behind his back.
I bumped into Alan during the beginning of the semester when I was on my way to a study group on the USC campus. When I mentioned ISI and how as a whole it wasn’t a ‘Christian’ organization but rather ministry at an individual pace, he more or less criticized it and asked what the point of the organization was. Basically, what’s the point of inviting these people to eat and hang out but not tell them about Jesus at every dinner. My rebuttal to Alan (which I told him) is this: There are those types of ministries. They’re the ICAs, AACFs, and GOCs that most campuses probably have. Those fellowships do invite international students and minister to them in that sense of having group bible studies and so on and so forth. Obviously, they work since people like Tiff or Yuji came to know Christ through that. At the same time, what about the Muslims who run when they first hear the word ‘Christian?’ Or the Hindu who is vehemently opposed to Christianity? What fellowship group is able to minister to these people? There are a lot of people that will walk away when they hear the word Christian but will stay when they hear the words free food and friendship. I know that ISI has produced some great fruit as Indonesian Muslims are beginning to hear about Jesus because they consider Andy Pearce (the guy who heads our local branch of ISI) a friend. People are coming to Christ through the different volunteers who comprise ISI. It’s ministry at your own pace through friendships and relationships Different types of people need different types of ministry. For some, they need to brought to a bible study. For others, the bible needs to be brought to them. I’ve been able to invite 3 guys, two of which have never heard the Gospel, to church because I’ve been building these friendships with them through these various dinners and activities.
Thanks for reading,
=Leo
