The question that has always been the most baffling for me to answer is:
So, what's a normal day for you? As far as I know, a missionary does not have the luxury of having a day that is like the one before or the one before or the one before. (I'm sure you get the picture! Hmm?)
Today was, okay, as "normal" as it gets. It started out with a conversation with a student who had asked for cooking classes. She's been on me for weeks (and I was scratching my brain to find an empty notch in my schedule to accommodate her). Finally, we decided on tonight. (Jeff's down in Mississippi with a work team this week, so I would have a free night) However, when I called her, she seemed down. She had not called me about a menu because she just didn't feel like doing it now. (Okay, remember that next time you ask me and I struggle to fit it in!! that's what I was saying inside, not actually outloud!) After talking to her for a little bit, I came to the conclusion that she was in a funk, a short little burp of depression that immobilizes you for a period of time. Since depression is one of the top five serious issues that college students deal with, I have made a (mental) and written note to keep check on her.
Our literature table was scheduled in the food court area from 11:00 - 2:00 p.m. today. This is one of Jeff's favorite things to do on campus. And he does it well. Frankly, I do not like being confined behind a table, peering at students coming down to get some lunch or meet with friends, like some little old lady analyzing and critiquing their every move. (Hopefully I don't look like that, but it's the way I feel) But, I must take a dose of my own medicine and do as I always advise others to do: get out of your comfort zone and see what God can do. So I went. The first hour was uneventful. Other than a couple of cursory and quick, jerky smiles from braver students who actually looked me in the eye, no one stopped.
Around 1:00 p.m., it got a little more interesting. One girl who had been to our Thursday night Bible studies sporadically in the past, stopped to chat. She is on the track team and spends a lot of time running and keeping herself in shape. She told me that she was a Christian and knew that she needed more Christian interaction. Then she asked if she could get me to help her with a passage in Revelation that she had been studying! (Revelation?) She read from chapter 12 of Revelation and we talked a little while about the woman in labor, the dragon with the tail that took one-third of the heavens, and other interesting tidbits. This conversation ended with her asking me if I could study the book of Revelation with her on a weekly basis. (That's one of the reasons I'm here, precious girl!!)
A guy came up to the table and said that he was Catholic but had not connected with the Catholic organization on campus. I invited him to our annual Thanksgiving dinner (where 15-20 ladies from my church help me put together a phenomenal feast for these students. In the past we've had about 25-30 students make their way to our home the week before Thanksgiving for this momumental mega-feast!) He said that he would love to come and meet some more students. (A need to belong is another one of the top five issues that college students struggle with). I hope that he will indeed come Thursday night and find a place he can belong.
As I was packing up, another one of my regular girls called to update me on the latest with her and a guy that she is interested in. Have you got two minutes for me to tell you what's going on? she asked. Twenty minutes later, I had walked to my car, packed the stuff in the trunk, and driven home before she finished with her story and I had confirmed to her that she was handling the situation well.
Ah, the blessings of a normal day!!
