Vol II: #65 My Favorite Moments (Final Bethel Thoughts 3/3)
My favorite part of any endeavor is always going to be the new people I meet. BSSM was no different.
I knew Bethel had a strong international presence but I got to experience it in person. My class has people from Canada, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria. Russia, Ukraine, India, Nepal, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and more I don’t know. My public university wasn’t this diverse.
What I find most admirable and encouraging is the faith these international students exhibit on a daily basis. None of them have permission to work because BSSM is not an accredited school according the US Government. Therefore, all of these people spend the entire year living on faith, often with limited funds and no transportation. Despite all the obstacles- costs, regulations, paperwork, etc- they persist.
Of course, I enjoy the opportunity to know these lovely people. I love their stories and what their BSSM experience is. Each of them have a unique take on Bethel and America i.e. Bethel is very encouraging to them but why is our healthcare so expensive? And, they have to overcome subtle hurdles I do not. For example, most of these students do not understand the cultural references made by our very American baby-boomer leaders. I had to explain what Star Trek and Dr. Spock when Kris Vallaton said “don’t be like Spock.” (Heck, most of the Gen Z Americans in their late teens didn’t get the reference either.)
In the same vein of meeting new people, my assigned mentor- Jonathon- was amazing. He was my shelter and guide through the year. Regardless of how angry or hurt I was, he constantly pointed me toward the Holy Spirit and never made me feel like an ass. Just as useful, Jonathan and I could talk about almost anything. I went into BSSM with low expectations for my mentor- due to what I heard from previous graduate- but JP was the opposite. The Lord is good and Jonathon was one of His gifts for me.
I don’t know which of these relationships will turn into lifelong friendships. How could I? Every friendship must endure silences, distance, and misunderstandings. My hope is to be able to maintain 2-3 friendships from time at BSSM. Anything more will be a bonus. Regardless of the outcome, the people I met are amazing and I’m blessed to have met them, to walk with them, and know their stories. God is Good.
