Hello friends, family, and acquaintances. I hope each and every one of you is doing well and living a wonderful life. As it has been a while since many of you have heard from me, I thought it fair to inform you of what has been happening in my life and what (Lord willing) my future plans are.
School!
On June 15, I graduated with my high school diploma from World View Christian Academy. I subsequently went to Oregon State University in Corvallis where I have been living the past two years. I am now a junior working for a B.S. in Advanced Chemistry with a pre-med option. The good thing about this degree is that in two years it should leave me well-prepared to apply for medical school or to study for a Ph.D. in chemistry. The bad thing is that this year I have to take physical chemistry, aka the hardest undergraduate course at OSU! But, such is life. One fun thing I got to do in an experimental chemistry lab is attempt to synthesis bis-vanadium acetylacetonate (3+ oxidation state). Not only is this a really cool compound about which not much is known, but me and my lab partner were the first people at OSU to attempt to make it (we actually only made the 4+ oxidation state). But, enough of the nerdy stuff! Extracurricular Activities!
I am very blessed to live in Corvallis among really awesome people who love pursuing God's heart. When I'm not studying for exams or doing homework, I'm generally doing something with many different student ministry groups on campus. This year I lead a Bible study consisting of four awesome young men, all fellow OSU students. We studied the Bible and encouraged and exhorted each other to become more powerful men of God. I also continue to play drums and cello for worship at church, student ministry meetings, and Christian community groups. Corvallis is a great place to live in fellowship with people who love God.
However, my favorite non-school activity is "hanging out" with international students and as God provides opportunities, being a witness of the Father's amazing love and power to them. During the school year, the international ministry I work with gives free lunch once a week to internationals and has weekly game nights on Fridays (a great alternative to beer pong and binge drinking!) Additionally, we take internationals on camping and road trips throughout the northwestern states, an awesome way to start great friendships and have witnessing opportunities. During the spring break trip this year, a friend and I got to see and help a graduate student from China come completely to Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit! I most recently helped take ~35 internationals camping at Crater Lake and the Redwood National Forest. While it was a crazy time (I managed to sprain my ankle at the beach!), it was neat because there were many opportunities to share with students, of whom many are Muslims, about God's love and Isa's (Jesus in Arabic) redemptive power. The picture here has me and my good friends, Arom from Kurdistan (Northern Iraq), Maitham from Saudi Arabia, Tufeg from Libya, and Sasidhar from India at the coast.
I love playing soccer with these guys, despite my American incapableness at the game! The opportunities to witness to internationals are countless. More than once I have gone to the library to study physics or chemistry and ended up spending two hours explaining the Gospel of Jesus to my Muslim friends. I wish I had time and space to share more stories here, but suffice it to say, God is moving and revealing Himself to the international students, and I'm very thankful to be a part of His work.
So… Now What?
While I intend to continue school at OSU in the fall, this summer is probably going to be crazy and filled with adventures. In April, I felt God directing me to not work any summer internships or jobs and to invest in His kingdom instead. This has been stretching my faith as I have been working since I was 15 and like to have things under my own control! But God wants me to be under His control, and hence, I'm learning to surrender EVERYTHING to Him, including financial control. However, more than anything else in life, I want to be a witness of God's glory and love to the nations of the world. Hence, right now I'm focusing on working with summer international ministries in Corvallis, raising support to go overseas for several months, and working on getting some part time work to pay off some minor school/living expenses debt. (For more details on my visions for going overseas, please read my missions support letter) No matter what happens this summer, I'm trusting in God's absolute goodness, and the fact that He wants to use me to share His love. In Conclusion…
I am very thankful to be loved by God and to be in a place in life with so many different opportunities. I'll continue to do international and college ministry at OSU, while pursuing my degree. Lord willing, I will go from there, either to medical school or graduate school, with the purpose of having an excellent education that will allow me to more easily enter the closed countries in the world, especially those in Africa and the Middle East. But more than a degree, medical school, job, or even what I might think God wants me to do, I want to be in a place that I can prove what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is (Romans 12:2) and be able to love God with my whole heart, soul, and strength, and my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:37-39). Whether I'm in the jungle, desert, or a research lab in Oregon, my life's purpose is to glorify God. I love you all lots! Blessings in Jesus!
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