English Club (by Luke)

The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:34

English Club

English club has been really fun to be a part of this year. We say it is teaching international students better English, and it is, but really, it is just me, Clint and Miranda hanging out with Chinese people. I have gotten to know a lot of the students really well. Maximus, Fan, Justin, Estelle, Sharon, Francis, Manson, Jeremy and many others.

We went on the retreat and we got a few Chinese students to sign up. Maximus was in my group, he was really quiet in all of our small group times. I asked him to just talk after our Saturday night group. I was frustrated with how our group was going, but I just asked Max a few questions, and he started talking to me. He told me about his family who said they were Buddhist, but really just believed in the betterment of themselves and a little about his own search for meaning in life. I then told my testimony, in a powerful and passionate way that I have always wanted to and never have been able. Max ultimately said no to the gospel, but as I have come to see with Chinese people, he really is actively searching and counting the costs.

Later, after a late night worship session, he came up to me and told me he wanted to talk. We talked some more, and I told him to read Ecclesiastes; he dog-eared the page in his bible.

Before the retreat ended, a guy stood up who had had Manson in his small group he said he almost cried when he prayed in Chinese because it was so apparent to him that God was working all around the world. Then someone stood up and said they did cry.

A Sunday in November, all of Veritas Church got up walked down the stairs and down the street to the community rec center. It was awesome to see two of the students that had been in English Club and then Family group that had given their lives to Christ on the retreat and recount what Christ had done in their lives, and then having Clint baptize them.

I remember sitting in English Club one Thursday night and we were talking about why we came to Iowa. I said that I wanted to be a part of Salt Company and be able to do things like English Club. He said “I think you are a very good person to do English Club.” It is comments like that that make it all worth it.