We've spent a week in intense training together and now it's time to begin putting what we've learned at Urbana15 into practice.
Growth
#growth
My work at the Hack4Missions hackathon wasn't perfect. But my God is. I'll be focused on that for the final day of Urbana15.
“Take the next step—don’t take a huge one, don’t look very far. I have learned the will of God is not hidden. It’s not very far. I have learned to obey him for what he’s telling me to do today. And that becomes a stepping-stone to the next thing, to the next thing and the next thing.”
As a 15-year-old Muslim woman from North Africa, Farida heard the gospel from a nurse, who then invited her to a two-day youth camp. At first, Farida rejected the gospel. Despite having immigrated to Paris with her family at a young age, she saw her identity fully as a North African and a Muslim…
Michelle Higgins’s talk last night was powerful and challenging. For many of us who are on campus and who are familiar with the Black Lives Matter movement, the concepts she shared with us are familiar. Others of us may be feeling challenged in ways that are uncomfortable. She said some hard things.
Since 1946, Urbana has changed the way students see the world, God’s mission, and their own part in it. But, Urbana also has a history of changing people’s perceptions of the “other”—whether that’s a neighbor, an Urbana roommate, or a people group around the world—especially those of different ethnicities.
In my native tongue, Malayalam, we would call rain during events like weddings, and religious conferences “munmazha”. The word “munmazha” and “pinmazha” are usually used together in religious contexts, the literal translations respectively being close to rain before and rain after. The connotation of munmazha is rain showers before an event to signify that the event will be blessed or that blessings are coming.
I want you to picture this: I am dragging along my suitcase, with my large over the shoulder bag containing all of my snacks, electronics and various knickknacks. I'm trying to maneuver the large trash bag filled with the pillows and blankets that both my friend Becca and I had used on the 22 hour bus ride to St. Louis. And it's pouring.
We’re going to ring in the new year in just a few days, and as I look back, I am thankful for all the blessings, opportunities, and growth God has provided this year, and I can’t wait for what the new year will bring. Urbana15 is here, and I am ready to start 2016 in the presence of God!