"If I go with God, I'm afraid he will spoil my life", bemoaned an International student contact. I went on to share that God had given me a very fulfilling life when I put my trust in him as I pray and listen to the Holy Spirit for many important decisions. "Surely he has good plans for you," I reassured her.
If the trend continues, it is possible that the number of International students sent to the West could double in 10 years. Many of these not only come for undergraduate studies but stay on for graduate studies or research. Who would have thought that we would have large numbers of Saudi students in our universities? Saudi Arabia, the cradle of Islam is a very challenging place to declare God's truth.
Bakht Singh was an International student studying engineering at University of Manitoba in 1929. He had previously been strongly opposed to Christ and even tore up a Bible to prove it. John and Edith Hayward befriended him in Winnipeg and invited Singh to live with them. After every supper they would read the Bible. It was reading the New Testament that brought him to a personal faith in the Lord Jesus. He became India's foremost evangelist and church planter. Haywards were part of that miracle.
Reminds me of conversations I had with an Asian student. Hussein read the Persian Bible I gave him from cover to cover. We met from time to time to discuss the Christian faith. He liked what he discovered to the point that he concluded that he would like to be a Jew, a Christian, and a Muslim. I explained that I didn't know about becoming a Jew but if he wanted to be a Christian, he would need to believe Romans 10:9, "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." "Do you believe Jesus is Lord and that he rose from the dead?," I asked. "No, I cannot agree with that," Hussein replied. "In that case, you are not a Christian yet," I added. There were many more conversations. The last chapter has not been written yet. I love this window of opportunity that we can have with inquisitive minds.
Remember the incident I mentioned in my first post titled Redirection (click)? I believe God placed the District Commissioner in that strategic location to allow the Gospel to be preached in this remote town in Northern Pakistan. The students studying here are influential and how they view their experience in the West without a doubt will be remembered the rest of their lives. If they return to their homeland, they may appear in strategic places. It is possible for you to have a long term life-giving relationship with students from countries typically closed to Western missionaries. Like in the case of Bakht Singh, the Good News was carried to places we can never go.
Heavenly Father, you direct students to come to simple places like Winnipeg to study but greater than that to meet you. Thank-you for allowing us to serve them and share the greatest knowledge they could ever get--that of knowing you personally. Amen
