When I came to college, I didn't know many people here, and I'm not going to lie - I went a little wild child. It's totally weird for me to look back on my first semester here at Longwood and think "Dang girl, what were you doing with your life?"
As the first semester started to come to a close, I became closer to my roommate, who is now my best friend here on campus. She was more of the quiet type, even though after being with me for so long she did start to come out of her shell. Any how, every Thursday she would go to this place behind Stubbs Hall and I never fully understood what it was until she asked me to go with her in December. I walked into the front doors and saw three sets of stairs, that go upstairs and one that went down. There was a balcony, for lack of better word, with people standing up there to welcome us. Every time someone would walk in you would hear a loud "Welcome to BCM." It was my favorite and least favorite part about it.
BCM stands for Baptist Collegiate Ministry and they provide a place for Longwood and Hampden-Sydney students to come together and rejoice in the word of God. I ended up not staying that night in December because they wanted us to play charades, but it sure was an experience.
When we came back for our second semester, I attempted to go once more to BCM with my roommate and this time we stayed for the whole thing. I felt so loved there! It was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. My mind and heart were opened up to the Lord. I have never been so inspired by the Word. I had attended a private Catholic school for approximately 11 years of my life, in which attending Mass was a monthly event, but I never understood anything the priest would say. He was straight out of the Philippines and he had a very thick accent, so I never felt touched by the Word. Sure, I believed in a higher power I just never felt it until I went to BCM. The music alone is a big reason for why I continued to grow in my faith, the words would touch me as I sang. Each week a guest speaker would come in and focus on a certain passage from the bible and it would be clear to me that the Lord has a plan for all, we just don't know it.
I am extremely grateful for all of the BCM members who have welcomed me into their home, who have made me one with my faith, a place I never thought I would be able to reach. I know that through BCM I will have life long friends, who support every move I make. I found a new home on campus, and I wouldn't want to be any where else on Thursday nights.
