Hope's World Assembly testimony

My trip to Mexico is one I know I’ll never forget ever in my life. It was a trip filled with excitement, joy and learning. A journey to remember.

I have to say first of all World Assembly was completely different from what I thought. It is a gathering of the I.S.C.F. groups around the world. It only takes place every four years and next time it will be held in South Africa.

Praying in small groups at Student Gathering

During the first couple of days a Student Gathering was held where we got to talk about our different I.S.C.F. groups. Can you believe that most people don’t even know where Grenada is located, or what a nutmeg even is?

Sharing about Grenada at Meet the Regions

At first a thought occurred to me that everyone here seemed somewhat older than me. This suspicion was soon confirmed when I realised that I was indeed the youngest person at World Assembly. There were over 1,500 people here at Mexico and I was the only one in secondary school. You could just imagine how I felt: overwhelmed and scared. I even felt like I wanted to return back home, because I was certain that I would not make friends with anyone.

But that changed when I met the other delegates from my region. My lasting impression will be the friendliness of the different Caribbean people. The way they greeted and accepted everybody. The way they made me feel like part of their family like a long lost cousin or something.

Meal time with Caribbean friends

Every day we had a schedule of different activities we were to attend. There was worship every morning and it was really good. It felt like God was right next to you.

Time of worship at Student Gathering

We had small groups, scripture readings, and since the meeting was held at a hotel, we of course had time to go swimming in the pools! :)

Chilling in the pool during free time

I met so many people from places I didn’t even know existed like Germany, Singapore, Brazil, Venezuela, Japan, Suriname, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda… almost 150 countries were represented.

Some of my new friends

Some of the things I learnt were:

• We are blessed as a country to be able to pray and read the Word of God without fear of persecution and rejection from family and friends. Some of the countries represented at World Assembly weren’t so fortunate. Some of the representatives actually snuck away to be able to attend.
•  I learnt about different cultures and backgrounds
•  I learnt about standing up for God, no matter how small or weak I may seem
• I learnt that through challenges and bad times, God is there too. He promises to be there even though He may not always deliver us.

Helping set up the prayer room

How I have been changed:

•  I now have more confidence in myself and what I have to say because, although I am young, my opinions and views do matter
•  I am more thankful to God and appreciative of what our country and people have

Playing a flute solo during worship

In conclusion, I’d like to say a very heart felt thank you to everyone who donated in one way or another. Without your help this trip would not have been possible. Thank you so much and may God bless each one of you :)

Living to please God

Student leaders from schools in St. George’s were invited to be a part of this training session in preparation for the new academic year. There were 11 students and 1 sponsor from 3 different schools – Boca Secondary, Beacon High School and Happy Hill Secondary. 

Getting to know you

After some Getting to Know you activities, the students were led in a devotional which focused on living their entire lives for Christ. Students were challenged not to separate their spiritual life from their every day living, but to allow the decisions that they make on a daily basis to reflect biblical principles. The scripture focus was Daniel 1, and we examined how the Hebrew boys refused to compromise their faith by eating the king’s food. Students were encouraged to make a stand for Christ, even when others around were doing wrong things.

Searching the scripture

The next session was led by Arlene and focused about how we could live to please God. Following a brief presentation which introduced the points of living according to the Word, practicing obedience, being holy and living righteously, the students were put into groups where they were able to discuss practically what this would look like in their lives. It was very enlightening to see what the examples that the students came up with in terms of what living to please God looks like.

What does it mean to be holy?

Students planning their presentations

After the lunch break, Cheryl shared on the value of Scripture Engagement, using material obtained at World Assembly. The students were asked basic questions about the bible – who was the author, number of books, longest book in the Bible – and hardly anyone knew the answers.  Cheryl sought to encourage students to develop a love for the Bible, and to recognise the importance of engaging with it on a regular basis. She took them through an exercise where they had to pull out commands found in Colossians 3, and the students were very eager to share what they found.

Importance of scripture engagement

Finally, the students spent some time brainstorming ideas for topics for the upcoming term, and planned out two of the topics in detail. We spent time praying for the students throughout the session, and are trusting that they would implement all that they have learnt.

Guiding students' planning

Here are some of the things that impacted them at the end of the session:

• ·         I learnt the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness
• ·         I also learnt that the longest verse in the Bible comes from Esther and 40 men wrote the book in the Bible
• ·         Two things that made an impact on my life today are teamwork and being open minded
• ·         I learnt that being holy and being obedient are things God wants us to do
• ·         I learnt to obey the elders in my community and that we must forgive people
• ·         Two things that I learnt today are that I need to be different from the non Christians and that I need to forgive more
• ·         I learnt that you must obey your mother and father, and when someone does you something, you should forgive them.
• ·         I learnt that being holy means to be separated and consecrated unto God, and that even though it’s not easy to forgive people, still forgive them because it’s for your own good.

Love is...

When they wait until you come to go on a family vacation

When you don't get to spend much
time together, but when you do, you
leave being encouraged.
Every. Single. Time.

When they drive for more than an hour just
so they can spend time with you

When she has not seen you for 8 years, but after spending 2 hours
with you she wishes you didn't have to go

When you finally get to hold him in your arms
after holding him in your heart for one year

When you can make him smile

When your brother-in-law makes dinner for you

When you've been friends with the same person for 30 years

When she takes you out to dinner in a fancy restaurant

When she cries the first day she meets you, and falls asleep
in your bed the very next day

When they host a family barbecue in your honor

When you fit so naturally into the family

When they pause in the middle of playing and say,
"I love you Aunty Debbie"

When she is exhausted but she drags herself
out of bed just to spend time with you

When she refuses to let you come to NYC
without meeting up to lime

When she makes you feel like there is no
such thing as spending enough time with your sister

More Nuggets

On Scripture Engagement. This is more than just the religious discipline of Bible Study. It is a lifestyle which involves loving, living and sharing God's Word. It should be cultivated out of a desire to develop our relationship with God, but meeting Him through His Word.

On Engaging the University. This involves more than our regular activities of worship, prayer, Bible Study and evangelism. It involves examining what the Bible teaches about current issues;reaching out to persons on campus other than students; finding out how your faith relates to your course of study.

On Unity in diversity. We are each created in God's image, and we reflect Him in our diversity.

On the importance of Graduates' Fellowship.  There is always a new generation of students coming in to be impacted. Graduates need to be involved in supporting the work so it can continue.

On financial crisis in Greece. The world doesn't know what to do about the financial crisis in Greece, but they were warmly welcomed into the IFES family as a new member country.

On witnessing. Witness comes from the root word used for 'martyr'. Our experience in Christ is so profound, it is worth dying for.

On community. Rather than expecting people to behave before they are included into our community, we accept unbelievers so they belong. In time they will believe, and then behaviour will follow.

On pressure. When pressured by society we have three options:
1. Isolation - separate ourselves; do not engage with society
2. Assimilation - compromise our standards, thereby losing our identity
3. Challenge - made a bold stand for what is right; choosing to submit to God rather than man

On suffering. God doesn't plan to inflict suffering on us, but He uses it to accomplish His purposes. We can become more effective Christians when we endure suffering. As members of Christ's body, we share in the suffering of others, even if we are not persecuted.

The call to discipleship in a broken world involves suffering. The gospel continues to persevere in the face of suffering. Suffering is the price you pay for progress in the Christian life. It enables us to mature and grow in holiness and purity.

On growing disciples. Transformation takes more than just hearing the Word. Doing is what transforms lives. Reflection and prayer are also key aspects to transformation.

On running the race. There are traps which are designed to keep us from achieving the prize. We should not just look the part, but be prepared to live the Christian life.

On formacion. Student leaders need to be encouraged to be open and honest about their problems, so they can see themselves as redeemed sinners instead of frustrated saints. We need to develop in them a desire for holiness. It is a life-long process that seeks to form the character of Jesus in the lives of the students.

Tell me your story

One of the tremendous opportunities afforded by attending World Assembly was the chance to hear stories from members of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) family worldwide. Some of these were shared in the form of testimonies at the main sessions, and some were told informally over a meal. Regardless of the format, they all served to give a glimpse into how God is working through the lives of men and women who are committed to knowing Him, and making Him known in their local contexts. Here are some of the stories which stood out to me:

From a sensitive country:
After attending an evangelistic camp for the first time, a student was asked what he had learnt.
His response: "To love. To love those who are against me."
He went on to  state, "I don't want to live by the standards of the world anymore. I want to live for Jesus!"

From a sensitive country:
The staffworker shared how one evening there was a knock on his door and when he opened it, there was a student who was a devout member of another religion, who wanted to surrender his life to Jesus Christ. After becoming a Christian, this student brought three other friends to the staffworker, and he was privileged to lead them all to Christ.

In their country, corruption is widespread, even at the university level. Everyone knows that it is impossible to complete your studies without bribing the lecturers. These four young believers chose to make a stand for righteousness, and refused to pay the bribes. As a result, they were awarded C's while everyone else in their classes got A's. This was a powerful witness to the entire university.

After graduation, two of these students became pastors, and two are now serving as staffworkers, all working for the glory of God. They are changing their churches, their society, their country.

From survivors of the terrorist attacks at the Garissa University in Kenya:
Where was God? God was on the throne, and He allowed this for the glory of the students who were martyred for their faith, and for the glory of His Name.

From IFES pioneer in a sensitive country:
When asked how he became a Christian in a country where Christians amounts to 0.01% of the population, his response was, by reading the Bible. When pressed about which book in particular led to his conversion, he did not give the expected books like John, Acts or Romans. It was the book of Proverbs!

He had obtained a French Bible from a family member, who was given it by an international student who had been studying in his country. His religion taught him that the Bible was a book of lies and could not be trusted, however, out of curiousity he looked at the table of contents. The only word he understood was 'Proverbs' so he turned to this book and began reading. He was amazed at the wisdom contained in those chapters, and recognised that this wisdom could only come from God, so he surrendered his life to Christ, and started looking for a church to attend.

But how do you find a church that meets in secret? His response, "Holy Spirit G.P.S." He took a taxi to a remote village, then followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit to "Turn left, now turn right..." until he found himself on someone's private property. The voice inside told him to ask the person he met for the church, but he was hesitant, since he had no clue how the person would respond. Eventually he found the courage to ask, and the man laughed and told him that he had found the church, and took him inside to introduce him to the others.

From war-torn country:

There was a time in the schedule for regional exhibits, where each region was given a chance to showcase how the student ministry looks in their region. It was a wonderful cultural display, with some countries taking the opportunity to provide samples of their food, art, music and cultural wear. One incident which stood out to me was my encounter with a delegate from a war-torn country who was selling bookmarks. She said that many of the women who are in refugee camps want to earn a living to support their families, but are unable to do so because of the unrest and war they experience. The student movement there has found a way for these women to earn an income, by providing them with crotchet thread, which the women use to make bookmarks that can be sold. I was thankful for the opportunity to directly support such a venture.

From believers in Switzerland:

Religious persecution does not necessarily involve physical violence. In Switzerland, evangelicals are accused of being manipulated, so the government has stopped granting funding to evangelical organisations. These funds are now being directed towards the LGBT community. The children of God continue to make a stand as they seek to be salt and light in their country.

From a country where Christians are persecuted:

They shared that the local church is stronger because of persecution due to the presence of the Holy Spirit, the blood of the martyrs and the global intercessory prayer of the church worldwide. They count it an honor to be identified with Christ in His suffering. After escaping a church raid because she had left to run an errand, when this young lady realised that her fellow Christians had been taken to prison while she was left behind, she wept because she wondered if she too was not worthy to suffer for Christ.

In this country, they have to be discreet about where they meet for training and conferences. At one event which was being held outdoors under tents, a typhoon came but the participants were not discouraged. They simply put up their umbrellas and continued with the session, being confident that they would not be caught since the police would not disturb them in the middle of a typhoon.

From a Nigerian student: 

After graduation, he pledged a large financial amount to the student ministry, despite the fact that he was not employed, and he had no idea where the funds would come from. Shortly afterwards, the company where he had done part-time work as a student previously called him in to work on a project. His payment was the exact amount that he had pledged, and he was also the only one on the project team who was paid.