Monique Watson Senior Liberal Arts Major Served in East Asia Summer 2009

Our main focus was to meet the college students in the city and build relationships with them moving and speaking as the Lord led us through each conversation. Since we were reaching out to the college students, what better place to live than on campus with them and be a part of their lives! So we went to class, played/watched basketball, sat around and talked, ate lots of food and just lived in their lifestyles.

The basic day/week consisted of a 2 hour language and culture class in the morning and was followed by sporadic or planned “play” times with our friends we met. We would go to restaurants, parks, tea houses, or dorms and just hang out with our new friends and then meet back in the room Saturdays we had English Corner where many students came to practice speaking, and this is where we met most of our friends. Then on Sundays we would worship in a house church with all the missionaries. So this is a very general idea of our summer; and God spiced it up with all the amazing things He did!

It was a blessing and a challenge to me to realize the many opportunities that surround me every day to share Jesus wherever I am at in the world. I watched God turn a conversation about coffee into a conversation about freedom in Christ! I saw people who were consumed with customs and traditions turn their life over to Christ and yearn to read and study His Word. I listened to a girl who had never heard the word ‘pray’ before, pray the sweetest prayer to her Savior. I watched a girl carry her new Bible with her every time I saw her, as she longed to know more about this awesome God. I saw people confused as to why they were getting laughed at when they shared their exciting news of their Savior with their friends, yet they still pressed on. I saw my God break down walls, get His hands dirty, and take chances because He is God of all. And because of that I saw my God touch hearts, dry tears, and catch His children in His warm embrace as they came running to Him.

The summer was awesome, it was hard at times, it was challenging to take home and put into action all that God showed me, …are going to but it was full of God and those people there experience an amazing work of our God- THE God of the world.

Thank you again for all your prayers and support. I love you all. Shen Shi ai. – God is love.

PHOTO GALLERY