A God You Can Trust - 1/6/09
By Kate Weber
Have you have one of those days in your life where you can remember every single finite detail - you can remember your surroundings and every thought going through your head? For me that was Monday February 23rd, 2009. This particular day was the rainiest, windiest, and darkest day of my life. I was hit by this incredible sense of the unknown. I had no idea what my time in Australia was going to be like, and pulling up to good ol’ Campus East on a day like the 23rd didn’t help.
On the way inside, some already extremely drunk residents greeted me on their way out (I’m sure you know what “O-Week” is like). When we got to my room, the RA explained that it was in the biggest party unit on Campus. Great, I thought, this is exactly what I didn’t want. Here I am, this Christian girl from America that has attended Christian school her whole life, has never been around drunk people, and hasn’t even seen this much alcohol consumed. There was trash and alcohol containers everywhere. There was not even a spare space on the floor. My whole first week here I felt so alone. No one talked to me, and my roommates, as well as most of the rest of Campus, was drunk 24/7.I had a hard time praying, because I felt like God would continue to let me down. I ate next to nothing, and basically just sat in my room all day. I even was extremely close to getting on a plane home. I have never felt so horrible, and so lost.
As you can imagine, this was not what I had hoped my first experience in Australia would be like. I was angry with God. I had been praying about this time for so long. I had prayed that I would love Australia, that I would meet Christian friends right away, and that I’d just fit right in. I felt as though God had let me down.
One night I finally decided to get on my knees and pray. I had nowhere else to turn. I realized God was all I had, and so I spent the night crying out to Him for help. I clung to Psalm 139:9-10, “As I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
The next day in one of my classes, a guy came over and sat next to me. He introduced himself and told me that he was at Uni because his plans to be a missionary this year didn’t work out. Well, I’m pretty sure I almost knocked him off his chair, and I basically screamed, “Are you a Christian?!” It must have been quite scary for Tim - but he probably thought I was just another crazy American. What he didn’t know was that I had been praying my heart out for someone like him. He invited me along to ECU, and I was so thankful. I then decided to go on RELOAD, thinking it could possibly be a great way to meet more Christians. But I had no idea what God had in store for me.
When I arrived I was overwhelmed by the friendliness of everyone around me. People seemed to truly want to get to know me, and they seemed to take a genuine interest in me. That weekend God changed my life completely. I was surrounded by a true family, even though I was so far from home. I learned that God is the same everywhere, not just in my home in America. He was right here with me, every step of the way. He never left me during my times of trouble; he was just growing me during that time and teaching me to rely on Him. Once I gave up myself, and completely gave it all to Him, He turned it all around. There is no reason why I should not put my trust in Him who knows me best!
He made my life in Australia better than I could ever have imagined. The friends I have made challenge me and show me so much selfless love. I am so thankful, and forever will be. Thank you for living the way Christ tells us to live. I encourage you to continue on, continue reaching out to people - even if it’s just a conversation in a classroom, you never know who may be waiting for it.
Kate will be spending a few weeks in New Zealand before returning home to New Jersey, where she studies Physiotherapy. She has enjoyed going to the beach, coffee at Lee & Me, concerts at UniBar, movie nights, and trips to Sydney. She will be very much missed at ECU, as will the other exchange students who will be returning home.
<< MYC: A Reflection - 25/5/09 | Return to the Index | What Matters - 03/03/10 >>