LOVING TOGETHER
by Karen P
Summer activities for college students were successfully
held in mid-July with “Loving Together” as the theme.
On July 13, MSI staff and volunteers participated in our team briefing. Some of us were meeting for the first time so we got to know each other through ice-breakers before preparing for the event. Although there were challenges during this period, thanks to His grace, everyone helped each other, and difficulties were easily resolved!
I am grateful for the wonderful volunteers we had. Three of them are from the participants’ hometown so they can continue to follow them up in the future. One is the son of a co-worker. Although he is young, he is matured in thinking and has very “positive” values. He has exerted a good influence on his peers. Another is a sister from Hong Kong, a retiree, who lives in the city. She not only cares about the students but also helped other volunteers. The remaining volunteer is a local partner. Although he was the last to join the team, he is serious and careful in his work and is willing to take up responsibility. The team had the opportunity to live out the theme!
Many students come from broken families and long for the warmth and true love of home. Here are some of their responses:
- For 4 days and 3 nights, I fell in love with this event. I could not bear to be separated from everyone. It seemed that we were one family.
- My greatest benefit is to feel the warmth of home; your dedication was clearly seen.
- The event brought me long-lost happiness…I felt tenderness and love, … the knots that had been in my heart for a long time were untied and I am full of hope for the future.
- These 4 days gave me a feeling of breaking free from hardships and trivialities, like giving my mind a vacation and a recharge.
It is not easy to return to real life after a vacation. Please remember us in your prayers that we can continue to journey with and care for these students. We hope that one day they can “return home”!
