Another blessing!! Caleb, a great friend of mine (and my sister's boyfriend) came up to Vancouver to visit! We had a great time catching up, hanging out, and driving around Vancouver. He also got a little tour of Regent, met my history professor Don Lewis, and I gave him the plug for coming up to Vancouver for grad school. ;-)
This Saturday morning I woke up full of joy and thankfulness. God has been so good to me! He has been so gracious in answering so many prayers, in comforting me, in providing for me, and in surrounding me with the goodness of new friends and family.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to go on an all-school retreat with Regent College. We traveled down to a Christian camp in Washington state and spent three days together listening to some great talks, eating some delicious food, and getting to know one another. We played soccer, danced the "kalie" (a Scottish dance done with a large group of people), worshipped, got to know the professors, enjoyed a talent show, stayed up until 1:30am talking about lots of random topics, and other things. It was a great time of bonding, making new friends, and getting a clearer vision of the next year.
This week has also been great. I am really enjoying all the new people I'm meeting. I have a number of friends that are second generation Chinese, as well as a few from Ireland. I also have met a few people from Latin America and as it turns out they are organizing a party for Spanish/Portuguese speaking people for every weekend over the next three months, and I was invited! I've also started getting to know a couple of the professors here - they really are wonderful, down to earth, approachable individuals. I am also making progress on getting to know some churches that I'd like to scope out as my potential home over the next fear years as well as places where I could possibly do my supervised ministry.
Praise God for his goodness and faithfulness! He's brought me to a place where there is so much to soak in, so much to learn, so many questions to ask, and where I can be myself, struggle, search, be formed, and learn to think more clearly and seek more fully our God.
Below are a few pictures of Regent's retreat....
This is my last picture post, although for you reading this blog it will be the first you see. If you gaze VERY closely into this picture taken on my laptop icam you can make out an elderly, white haired man in the middle of the front row (click on the picture for a better look). He's name is JI Packer. If you don't know who he is you need to either slap your hand or go to amazon.com and buy his book "Knowing God." This is a picture of just before chapel started. JI Packer spoke; it was great. We also celebrated his 80th birthday!!
Here are a few more pics of the beach...the last pic is of a buddy of mine who goes to Regent. His name is Joel. He's from Calgary, his girlfriend is in Toronto, and he just starting his studies in Greek...pray for him. ;-)
Well, after writing about 45 emails...responding to some 45 awesome people who wrote me Happy Birthday emails...my fingers are a little tired. But I'm going to post just a few thoughts anyway...
Today was a fantabulous day! It was my first day of orientation at Regent College, in Vancouver, BC - a Christian evangelical graduate school. We first had worship at 9am, followed by a lecture by the President on the history, identity, and committments of Regent. Then we had a number of faculty give 10 minute presentations on their background, field of study, and interests. It was awesome to hear them share from their lives and get a sense of their genuineness, humility, and graciousness. It really got me excited to be studying under them. During lunch I sat with two guys from Seoul, Korea and one lady from Beijing, China, who worships in a house church. I also got to meet another guy from Hong Kong who had recently moved his whole family to Vancouver to work as a banker and is now pursuing theological graduate studies. In the afternoon we got a lot of info on academic policies, etc., and then finished the day with a student panal Q&A. It was great! The guy who led it was this really funny, dry-sense-of-humor New Zealander who told great stories of his experiences. Also on the panel were a Brazilian lady, a guy from Africa, a Canadian, and a USA-ian.
After the discussion I met a girl from Argentina (Chinese descent). It was crazy! She looked totally Asian but sounded just as Argentine as any of my friends from back home (in Arg.) I also met people from all over Canada. I also (later that night) met a lady from Belfast who lives in my residence house the Menno Simons Centre and a girl from China who also lives in Menno...she speaks English with a heavy accent since she's only been here for 8 months.
To be honest, I am already falling in love with Regent. I am realizing that I think it will be a really good fit - down to the buildling, location, culture, bookstore, international flavor, theological bent, committments, faculty, and even the coffee!! I am really thankful that I can be here.
Today I got to walk in UBC (University of British Columbia) a bit. I had to go to the big campus bookstore to buy my student ID and bus pass. Since Regent is an affiliate college of UBC we are actually a part of the Alumni association and get almost all the rights and privelages of the UBC student body. So I walked into the bookstore and felt like I was entering..I don't know what, the Midland Free rummage sale when it had just been opened. There were easily a few hundred students in the book store (the story was fairly large). It was incredible to see the diversity of the students - I saw Chinese, Koreans, Indians (of India), a few people of the Shiek religion, and of course some very secular Canadians. I had to stand in a long line to wait for my id and bus pass and of course right next to the line was a big book display clearly promoting alternative lifestlyes, homosexual marriage, and 'coming out.' I wonder if the display just happened to be placed by accident next to where every UBC student will have to walk to get their student ID....
After getting my bus pass I rode the bus home (it was a good feeling), made a spagetting dinner,
and then ate some birthday cake made by my residence directors. They threw a little party for another roommate and myself who just had birthdays. It was fun.
In Summary: T'was a good day! Couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable birthday (although there are lots of people I wish I could have had around me that are far away). I thank God for such good times & the privelage of studying here for the time being! Pray for my discipline - academic and spiritual - to take advantage of being in such a place and haveing this privelage.
PS: the pics are of Regent's chapel hall during break. Sorry it isn't very high quality, it was taken with my iCam.
PPS: At least three of the profs told of new 'conversion' experiences within the last year, when they bought their very first Mac. Now they are fully committed (tends to happen when you convert later in life...) ;-)
a house that was built for a good view...this house is at least $2M
the latest trasportation style in Vancouver - BMWs and high-class Hondas....I've seen SO MANY incredibly expensive cars in the past 24 hrs.
two blocks from Menno...
2 blocks from Menno...
also 2 blocks...
ONE block from Menno!....
Well, I'm finally here. Presently I'm sitting on the front steps of the Menno Simons Centre, reading on a sunny Sunday afternoon, listening to a bit of U2...and posting to my blogspot. How was the trip? Fairly uneventful, except for getting really hungry on the flight (although Karin's Swedish Fish candy helped tie me over....thanks Karin!). Also, as I was waiting in line in the Canadian Immigrations office I watched a guy who looked like he was from Southeast Asia get refused entry and deported (yikes!). I felt bad for the guy. After about 30 minutes I was able to get my student visa and be on my way.
The taxi cab driver that took me to Menno was a very friendly guy, from Lebanon. We talked about the violence, Hezbollah (who he very much liked and does not consider terrorist), US foreign policy, North Americans in general, etc. Almost all of his relatives live in Southern Lebanon where the majority of the fighting/bombing/etc was going on. A few of them fled but many of his relatives stayed. His father's house was destroyed by the fighting but Hezbollah is helping him relocate by giving him $12,000 to buy a new home (!). The taxi cab driver's name was Jamal.
When I arrived at Menno I wasn't able to actually find the directors for about an hour, after I had figured out which room was mine and brought my over-weight suitcases up to my room. (I had to pay $100 in over-weight charges...actually, my parents did...thanks mom & dad!) I spent last night unpacking my stuff and eventualy tried to get to bed, which took a while. This morning I woke up pretty early and went to a Baptist church a few blocks up the street. It was pretty small but nice, with lots of college students. I met a guy that is studying in Regent - actually, he was the worship leader. He was pretty nice, gave me his email to contact him with any questions or if I needed anything.
After eating lunch I started hanging out in my room, organizing, going through papers, trying to preocupy myself....the feeling of being cooped up starts to take over, there's not many people around the building and I don't really know anyone well enought yet to just start hanging out with them. Later I might ask a guy I met if he wants to go visit campus with me.
I am truly close to campus! That's great! I am a block from the bus stop, and its about 10 minutes to campus. There is a grocery store about 8 blocks away (went there last night, forget the name) as well as lots of little ethnic restaurants and coffee/tea houses. I'm sure I'll evenutally be trying out a few of them. This afternoon I might walk down to the water. I'm guessing it would take 20-30 minutes to walk.
Well, I already miss all my friends from back home!! It is difficult. From one day to the next you are practically friendless (no one to hang out with), car-less (immobile), don't know where anything is (don't know a good place to grab dinner, where to do shopping - even for random things like a tooth brush holder or a printer, where to walk to)...but at least I can speak the language! It has been cool to see the ethnic diversity though. There are many, many asian people around.
Well, that's about all for now. Please send emails, I'd love to hear from you!! Also, I now on Skype; my id is matthew.martin. Pray for me as I adjust! I'll be sending out a little newsletter shortly with a few pics. Peace.
-Matt
