It was a
trip suggested and assisted by a long time friend of mine who thought it’d be
interesting to pay a quick and unannounced visit to the school where I have
spent three semesters learning, growing and teaching.
A few quick
and surprising hugs from students and advanced students/pastors gave me the
feeling that somehow I was the one who had been long lost and finally found the way home.
I remembered most of their names and even a few term papers
that were presented, discussed and cherished.
It felt like yesterday and at the same time it felt like from the previous
life, if there is one.
“Things have been
challenging,” said one of the co-workers solemnly.
- That’s part of the
life.
“Please pray for us and
pray with us...” said another.
- Always.
“Remember we used to
say ‘Jesus loves you.’ And you turned
around and told us that the question among us should be ‘Do we love Jesus?’"
- I do remember.
“We will be graduating in about a year from now. Would you like to attend our graduation ceremony?”
We’d try - as we never stop growing
and learning.
“It seemed to me that
the outreach to the community services would never end,” commented a
pastor/student
- Better reaching out than sitting around and
wait.
Many more waved at me with surprises and smiles as they passed by, just like the good old days. It reminded me the words of the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, “Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man.”
Where else does one find
the hope of the humankind other than the young and the innocent kids?
I spent some time in the office
of the chaplains; the office and the hall of the Department of Theology; a
quick hand shaking and greetings with the new president; the office of the vice
president; and with a few old friends in the conference room, talking and
mostly listening to their stories.
As expected, some stories
brought us tears while we gracefully shared.
We are all in the stories
and are also the story tellers at the same time.
All the stories share the same title.
It is called LIFE.
It is called LIFE.
CJCU is changing; Taiwan is changing;
and the world is changing, rapidly as ever.
Faith in God, however,
has never changed.
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM Monday, May 26
2014
