Let darkness pass by

I went to a mall today. Filled with moms and dads and kids and teenagers. Tables of sales and shoes and phones and clothing; two food courts and multiple levels of consumerism. Plenty to be bought and browsed and looked at and desired. Strollers and people holding hands, shopping bags filled with the latest accessories and must haves. I went to a mall today where I found myself one of only five other pale faces that I counted as darkness passed by.

This mall is in a Muslim dominated country. The women here wear a head covering as part of their work uniform. Fitted neatly to their head and color coordinated to the uniform they wear, it’s an overwhelming sight. Yet my eyes are drawn to another crowd as I walk the lanes of the busy mall. You see there are many other visitors here like me; they are people who don’t belong in this country as well. And they come from places I’ll probably never be able to reach them at.

Every year thousands of college students leave their families to study abroad. Every year they come to places not their own. They come seeking a better life, a better education and Truth. The problem is that they will be indoctrinated into a knowledge system based on a theory that claims we’re here by random chance giving our lives no meaning and no purpose. Yet there is another belief system claiming life does have meaning and they have a Father who cares about them. The problem being they have no one to tell them.

As I walked the lanes of the mall ladies young and old are hidden behind a veil of darkness. Coming from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, U.A.E., and other places where Islam has blinded them from the Truth about the meaning of their lives. And I feel helpless, as I can’t do anything about it. I stand absolutely stunned as I realize they stand right before me living in places that I will never be able to get to. Yet they come here looking for happiness in a shopping bag.

There are some interesting facts about college students in the U.S. Many of them come from places around the world. In fact according to some estimates:

“The 2006 Open Doors report was released this week, showing that the overall number of international students in the US has held steady from last year, at about 565,000…”

Do we see the numbers there? It seems that when we “can’t” get to some countries because of religious or political reasons, God brings the people to us. He brings them right to our door, or next-door if you live near a University; and then He gives us an opportunity to reveal Christ to a people group that may have been closed off to the Gospel. Think about it, there are students living, eating, shopping and going to school right next to you that have no family, friends or community around them they are familiar with. When we don’t go to them, God brings them to us.

I wanted to walk through the mall today handing out Books of Hope to all the visitors. Laws made by men prevent me from being able to do that. My heart aches knowing I can never share with them the Truth they are seeking. I want to go back to the mall and just sit and start conversations with people and let God lead. I want to go back and hear where people are from and what they’re doing here and see God work. I want them to be able to go back home with stories of an encounter with their creator and not new clothes to show off.

The article I referenced earlier went on to say this:

US States with the Most International Students

California 75,385
New York 64,283
Texas 46,869
Massachusetts 28,007
Florida 26,058

Leading Countries of Origin

India 76,503
China 62,582
Korea 58,847
Japan 38,712
Canada 28,202

Again, interesting to note that the two most populous countries in the world, the two with some of the most influential markets and economies of the world are sending young people to us. Interesting to think about how many times during those four years they’ll get to sit down with an average American family and be listened to and fed and told the Truth about a God who crafted them with a purpose and plan for their lives.

We don’t have to go far to find people who need to know about Christ. In fact we can be people who not only support missionaries by praying and financially giving, we can also be people who change the course of lives and send them back as missionaries to the villages, towns, communities and families they left in their countries. Places we may never go.

I want to reach into the dark places of the world to change people’s lives. Sometimes all that means is stepping into the lives of one of their young people. Find out who they are. Invited them to dinner one night a month. Listen to their hearts. Send them back as missionaries. Let the darkness pass by and return with the light. Here’s how you start:

“Hello. Where are you from?”


Thanks for reading...


Referenced from: http://www.internationalfinancialaidblog.com/2006/11/number-of-international-students-in-us.html