Indonesia
Myanmar (aka Burma)
India
Laos
and Cambodia
are preparing to travel to Hong Kong in the coming week(s) for the summer orientation program.
For some of them it will be thier first time in an airplane.
For some of them it will be their first time out of their home country.
For some of them it will be their first time actually using English (many of them have learned English only in the classroom, and as someone who had four years of high school French before traveling to France and being shocked by having someone actually speak FRENCH to me and expecting a coherent answer.... I can testify to you that the prospect of speaking and functioning in English and eventually writing papers in English may be quite rightfully terrifying to some!)
For some of them it means they are saying good bye to their families for one, two or even three years. For a few this may mean saying goodbye to young children, or a husband or wife, or aging parents.
They are doing it because they have a commitment.
A hope for
A calling to
serve all people through God's global Church.
For those of you with time and inclination - below is a Powerpoint I put together about international students from the Mekong at our seminary - Lutheran Theological Seminary in Hong Kong.
Please keep the new students 2012-13 in your hearts and prayers. Especially the two Cambodians who are still awaiting their visas - and the Chinese and international staff and faculty who are preparing for a new academic year.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -- Jeremiah 29:11
May God's angels watch over them... may they and we be attentive to the Spirit's promptings to serve and grow in love and knowledge.
Threefold Paths of Mission MEKONG Students
