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With the remaining time I have left in Asia, I have been trying to squeeze in as my interviews as I can for my doctoral dissertation. I am trying to examine the importance of starting an international church with the alumni from our HMCC churches back in the States. It has been an interesting journey of discovery for me.
I am so thankful for our alumni and the nationals who have been gracious enough to take the time out to do the interviews. Not only did I get to know them better, but it helped me to realize the importance of having an international church like ours in their country.
Here are some lessons learned through the interviews:
2) You don’t realize all the great things God is doing in a person’s life, until you make an effort to get to know people and hear their testimonies.
3) When international students are able to experience the power of the Gospel while they are in the States, God will put a greater desire in them to see it happen in their country, especially with their family and friends.
4) It is amazing to see how God weaves various things in a person’s life in order to bring them to where they need to be at the moment.
5) When we have tasted something that is good (i.e. experience abroad), we do not want to go back to “business as usual.”
6) Learning how to adjust back to our first culture is not easy because our worldview has expanded and changed, therefore we need people and community to help us along the way.
7) Life is sometimes shaped by a web of relationships; therefore love and invest in people because you never know who you will influence and impact.