This past Wednesday night, I had a great talk with one of my residents, Amanda. We were wrapping shoe-boxes for Operation Christmas Child and she was telling me how she use to put together boxes with her church when she was growing-up. I did not know she had a church background, but it opened some doors for me to ask her more specific questions related to religion. As our conversation continued, I learned that Amanda is really involved in Grace Church (a church that meets on campus).
....side note: Amanda is having issues with her roommate. Not "bad" issues, they just don't get along...at all.
After learning that Amanda was a Christian, I was able to address the roommate situation in a whole new manner. We talked about what maybe God was trying to teach Amanda in the situation, or maybe how God was trying to use Amanda in her roommate's life. I was able to encourage her to pray for her [Atheist] roommate.
All this to say, it was so refreshing to encourage a resident in a manner that was not based solely on my RA training. Please pray that Amanda, that we will continue to have good conversations, that God would open unknown doors with other residents, and praise God for this opportunity!
God-ness #2:
Yesterday we had our Fall Festival. It was fun, but I decorated the "Haunted Lounge" for like 3 hours, led social mixers for 2 hours, and then took down my decorations in like 5 destructive minutes! I was exhausted. Despite my fatigue, my friend Hillary convinced me to go to a Halloween party. A friend of ours was DJ-ing a party and Hillary wanted to go and support him (Ryan). I only went because Ryan is a friend of ours who goes to church with Hillary and who salsa dances with us, so I figured he would probably play a few Salsa songs.
A freshman in my building, Orlando, was walking up and down the halls prior to my leaving, and said he didn't have much to do this evening. I, not even knowing Orlando's name at the time, invited him to come to our party. He was hesitant at first, and even asked me if he would be the only minority (Orlando is Black). I told him I didn't know anything about the party, but that my friend Ryan was also Black. Orlando agreed to go.
When we arrived at the party, much to my surprise I was the minority, and also much to my surprise, it was an Every Nation Campus Ministries Party!!! (The ministry I did my freshman year!). It was so great to see all my old friends, and to get to introduce Orlando to them.
Orlando loved it, and ALSO to my surprise he was so excited to meet Black Christians. On the way to the party he told Hillary and me in the car that he didn't really like college and was thinking about transferring....Orlando, now has plans to go to church with some of the guys I introduced him to tomorrow morning!
AND I DID GET TO SALSA!!!
Spain girls reunite at Ginny's surprise birthday party!
