I remember at the end of my freshman year, watching the seniors graduate. It was quite odd to finally be one of those seniors.
For our annual Senior Night at Rochester Institute of Technology, we had underclassmen share a few words about each senior and say something embarrassing about them. Then the senior had a chance to reply with some words of wisdom.
I found myself very emotional as I shared what I had learned from the group — I was moved to tears several times. I had the opportunity to tell the chapter what a privilege it was to watch them be the body of Christ throughout the year. Some of the major things that stand out in my mind are:
- How the chapter supported Brooke, when her mother died from cancer last fall. It was incredible to see how the chapter supported her through financially, emotionally, and in their prayers.
- The same was true with a couple who came to the chapter this year with the news that she was pregnant. The forgiveness, love, and support was so evident in the chapter that I later heard from the vice president of student government, that if “Christians could accept a pregnant girl, they could accept him.”
- I am amazed that students can step up to lead missions trips to Guyana, Niagara Falls, New Orleans, and New York City. I saw God use our students in Guyana as they were stretched out of their comfort zones to serve each other and the local people. I had the privilege of seeing — what could be — the first deaf person ever to give a sermon in Guyana. Many of us were affected by this life-changing work, and we had the chance to influence others.
- One of the most encouraging things for me to witness this past year was how the chapter stepped up to minister to deaf people. Many students enrolled in sign language courses and I saw a huge shift in people stepping outside of their comfort zones to reach out to the deaf members of InterVarsity. I also saw deaf people making strong efforts to communicate with hearing people.
I want to share with you one story about a boy named Adam. Adam is deaf but did not grow up signing. He lives in a “limbo world” not being able to lip-read well (making communication in hearing circles tough) and not knowing sign language, making it hard for him to be with deaf people.
People would volunteer to type for him each week during our large group meetings so he could read what was happening. My roommate, Jill, and I had been trying to encourage Adam to learn sign language, because he won’t always be able to have someone there to type for him. But he was reluctant until Alan, his hearing small group leader, said, “Hey, if you take a sign language class, I’ll take it with you!” Jill told me that Adam’s face just lit up when Alan offered to go with him. It makes me misty-eyed now just thinking about it.
I woke up this morning wishing that I could be chapter president again next year, because I learned so much from my experience.
