Stories & Updates

"We read to know we are not alone." - C.S. Lewis

It is my prayer that these testimonies tell of God's closeness and faithfulness. I hope that as you read these stories, you can reflect on how He has worked in your own life. 

During my first academic year at NCU, I truly discovered my heart for people. Despite considering myself an introvert, meeting people in their current state in their walk with God fills an otherwise void part of me. Through a simple process of elimination, I consider that "void" to be a God-given purpose. A personal sense of completion comes from filling that void. I am blessed to thrive in sharing moments with people in which they express their truest selves. 

Through a few cross-cultural classes at NCU, I've explored this calling locally through English tutoring with Somali people who live in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis is home to a dense demographic of Somali people, many of whom share a devout passion for their own religious walk of life. These interactions have ranged from testings of my own faith, to simply talking about cultural differences.

Another front that has allowed me to exercise this love of interacting with the community is working for Campus Safety and Security at NCU. Whether a suspect in an incident or someone I am administering aid to, working as a security officer in the cities comes with an unspoken caveat of treating individuals with the utmost respect. This occupation has challenged me to expand the degree of my social interactions with people. Though it wasn't my intention to work for campus security upon arriving at NCU, my new love for community service has been another confirmation of my calling.

Every year, NCU sends students on short-term mission trips organized through a student-led organization called Experience. This year, the student team organized trips to Spain, California, and Alaska. I firmly believed that the Lord was directing a path for me to go on the Alaska trip, as I felt encouraged by many well-respected friends who were also going on the trip. The team lead of the Alaska trip, Sydney, had already been one of many who poured into my life throughout that school year. I felt at home with the team that I was blessed to have. Everyone filled their perspective roles as their God-given strong suits suggested. 

We as a team helped renovate a church previously known as Calvary Baptist Church in Anchorage, Alaska. As a team, most of us helped paint the interior of the building. Though I did help with painting, I was typically redirected to different tasks as needed by the other team there. I was involved with much of the work on the exterior of the church such as sanding surfaces, running supplies to and from the campus, and miscellaneous tasks.

On one of the days we were there, the team served at a local community shelter for women in need. The shelter provided clothing, food, and safety for those who were seeking it.  The women of our team were tasked with meeting the specific needs of the women who came into the shelter that day while the men were tasked with serving in the kitchen to prepare the meal for that day. There was an atmosphere that I could only describe as the presence of God as I enjoyed the community with those with the common goal of helping others. I was privileged to share conversations, laughs, and memories with the locals of the city. For some, the experience was a part of their weekly routine.

The Alaska trip also provided me with a beautiful encounter with God's creation. I saw frozen glaciers, rows of snow-capped mountains, and sunsets that were unlike any I had seen before. My experience venturing through parts of Alaska's stunning landscape set a precedent in my life for when I walk through God's creation. I am thankful for an experience such as this.