International Student Track Reports
An American in the International Track
Greg Steward
Sayaka, from Japan, was surprised to find an American as her roommate in the International Student Track at Urbana 03. Rachel King is a sophomore at the University of Oregon and came to Urbana already wanting to serve the Kingdom as a missionary. She has already been on a couple of short-term missions, including one to Russia and has taken the "Perspectives in World Missions" class. She came to Urbana hoping to widen her perspective.
During her freshman year, Rachel, who is very athletic, ended up joining an international soccer team as a result of a friendship with an international. Soon she found that she was spending a lot of her time with international students. Her interest in other cultures created a natural draw to internationals. As a result she has become more aware of other cultures and this in turn has expanded her desire to learn even more.
This past fall she volunteered to be part of the International Student Orientation at the University of Oregon. For a week they hosted seminars and small groups and tours of the campus for newly arrived internationals.
"I was surprised to hear that there was an international track" thinking that you would want to have the internationals mixed with American, but she can see the value of internationals being in a setting where they are able to meet other Christian internationals from their own country. Meeting Christian internationals has been helpful for her, too. Most of the internationals she meets on her campus are not Christian. By hanging out in the lounge at Urbana and having an international roommate, she has been able to gain a better understanding of what it means to be a Christian in their culture. By learning about issues of culture and religion and how that affects someone of a particular culture she is gaining tools to better engage them with the Gospel.
As a result of being in the International Student Track at Urbana, she is "learning that you have to understand the background and culture of the person that you are hoping to share the gospel with, even if they are American. You need to know what their issues are." And she has also made friends with Sayaka, from Japan, a sister in the Lord.
Greg Steward
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