Every once in a while, you come across something spectacular. It can be a book, movie, club, or idea , but whatever it is, it sets your soul on fire in a way that other things don't.
A few weeks before school started back in August, I moved down to Salem, OR to get a feel for my new terrain. I said goodbye to my parents and stayed with a lovely couple who live twenty minutes from my school. We had been connected by a mutual friend a few months before, and it was instant kinship.
They're amazing people. They run a ministry called Ariana House that works with refugees. Every Sunday, they invite people from all over the world to their International Gathering. As I'm writing this, I'm waiting for the flood of different languages and cultures that will fill this room in a few hours.
We always begin by simply hanging out and getting to know each other. I always look forward to this part of the service, because I get to check in with some of the incredible individuals that I've gotten to know. I talk to my friend from the Ivory Coast, a high school senior with giant dreams and a sassy attitude that I love. I say hello to the young daughters of some of the leaders, checking in with them and asking them about their week. I try to make sure to greet any new faces I see. Eventually, everyone circles around the huge table, and we pray in Swahili, French, Arabic, and English.
Next, we eat the AMAZING food for our potluck. Everyone brings something, and the variety is astounding. Hand-made tortillas, Pakistani rice, Congolese fish, pizza, and a variety of sweets that vary from week to week. It's a feast, and the selection is so wide that there's always something for everyone.
After this, we transition into a time of worship. We sing in a multitude of languages, and everyone plays drums or tambourines to accompany the piano and guitar. There is often dancing and we shout "HALELUJAH, AMEN!" We don't always know or understand all the words, but it reminds me of how I think worship will look like in Heaven - with every tongue of every tribe from every nation used to praise the Creator of the Universe.
When we've finished with worship, the kids go off to different rooms while the adults enjoy a time of teaching and prayer. There were a handful of times when I've been with the adults, but I quickly found that I'm of better use when I'm helping with the kids. There's a student from another school who's been doing a pastoral internship, and she and I have co-created this time for the kids. It's been a lot of chaos in trial and error, but I believe we've finally found a format that works. It's been incredibly exciting to see God work in the lives of these kids, as many of them have difficult, complicated, painful backgrounds. (Side note, Corban Students reading this, if you still need a REACH credit, we could definitely use your skills here!)
I've been all around the world, and I've never seen unity displayed anywhere like it is in this time of gathering. Different churches and Christian organizations from the Salem area have people that contribute to and support this time. Last Friday I was in a meeting with someone from Salem Alliance, a guy from YWAM, and then there was me, a Corban student. It struck me that this is how the Church is supposed to operate - in an ecumenical, unified way that promotes God's glory.
I've got about an hour until I'm surrounded by these people that I love, and I cannot help but be thankful that God has placed me where I am.
