With soularium in hand we talked to several people Alex, and Francis. Alex
Alex was a junior in high school and from upstate New York. He is visiting his family who lives in the city and sister who work in the city. We talked and listen to his life and how he want to learn Japanese and travel the world. He wish he can find a sense of peace with his life direction. He is uncertain of what he want to do with his life and feel unsure of what to believe in. His mother was raised catholic but his father does not believe in God. He considered himself an atheist when we asked him the question: "If you can pick one image to best describe who God is to you?" He instead pick an image that best described his atheist beliefs. He picked an image of nature because he felt he can experience a sense of peace through nature. I don't doubt that you can experience God through nature. I feel he was more of an agnostic because he picked images that described his yearning for something out there to direct him choosing a curvy road. Jonathan and I both shared what images we would've pick for the last question: "Pick one image that best described what you wish was true of your spiritual life." I picked the one of the city skyscrapers and a picture of a man holding a lantern. Reason I pick these images was I know God is this light that shines in my light revealing things in my life one step at a time and at uncertain moment in my life I can trust God won't lead me astray.
Francis
Next person we invited to our art show was Francis. Francis is an international student who attend University of Minnesota studying education. He is from China and attending American University for schooling for only four months now. Reason of his stay in New York was to work for his uncle who own a liqour store in New York. he was friendly with us and allow us to talk to him for an hour on his free day at Bryant Park. He didn't have anything to do till 6pm when he have class at Bryant Park. We went through soularium and he would consider himself an agnostic. He heard of Campus Crusade before at his campus and attend a few small group bible study. We weren't sure what he heard of Christianity but he is still skeptic about Christianity "fairy tale" stories and how accurately true the Bible is. I felt he was really struggling to understand Christianity and the concept of God because of his country atheist world view pressed upon him. We shared the gospel again to Francis and press upon him to not give up searching for God. Jonathan was brave and told the story of Nehemiah's struggle to believe God's speaking to him to dunk himself seven times in the river. The point Jonathan was trying to make with Francis was to not give up. Francis express his wishes if God exist to desire to hear him clearly as if a voice is whispering into his ear. He recognize this is what makes Christian so special to be able to communicate to God, yet for him he think it is not possible. We asked if he need any prayers and he said he's okay. We thank him for his time and ask if I can take a picture of him and I.
Today we had training of retelling our testimony through soularium images. We practiced with our partners and listen on to each other story. I practiced with Caleb who story is of him growing up believing in God because of his parents but later realized he has to make the decision to continue following Jesus or not when he was 8. For some reason I got emotional when I retold my story of my broken childhood and family where on the outside appearance I had all the physical needs met but internally deprive emotionally and relationally. I didn't have an outlet as a child to express my needs and relational desires and often felt lonely.
Today we had training of retelling our testimony through soularium images. We practiced with our partners and listen on to each other story. I practiced with Caleb who story is of him growing up believing in God because of his parents but later realized he has to make the decision to continue following Jesus or not when he was 8. For some reason I got emotional when I retold my story of my broken childhood and family where on the outside appearance I had all the physical needs met but internally deprive emotionally and relationally. I didn't have an outlet as a child to express my needs and relational desires and often felt lonely. My emotions got the best of me and when Adam spoke about his death of his friend at the 8th grade that was shocking for me. What ran hard to my heart was his empathy of her death uncertain of how he should feel about losing a friend whom he had her in everyone of his classes that year. He attend the funeral but mentioned he didn't cried or grieved. It wasn't until one day in college he met a girl exactly like his friend Emily was her name. He felt like it was a call from God telling him everything will be okay. He met this girl on Campus Crusade Spring Break: Big Break conference at Panama City and that was when I couldn't hold back my tears. I rushed to the rest room to get paper towel to dry my face. Later I was paired up with Jonathan for the first time and went to Bryant Park on a blistering 97 degree weather in New York City.
Favorite Quote of the Day
Favorite Quote of the Day"No wonder we didn't have just sushi, it cost $40 for a platter." Adam
"How many art students it take to carry a door and shutters? 2. How many trains taken in the process? 4. Conversations started because of a full size door in a subway? Too many to count. This installation better be a masterpiece." Emily
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