oorderessLIFE

Faith challenged and strengthened Anxiety, homesickness and nervousness described a few ofthe feelingsinternational students felt asthey arrived on campus They had toadjust tothe differences ofa new culture, language and people.Most importantly, students had theirfaithchallenged and strengthened through theirtime atourschool.

Senior Maya Shrestha, former Hindu, was bornin Kathmandu, Nepal. Her parents helped her decide on a college inthe United States

"I came here because my dad thought a [Christian] atmosphere was safeand Christian people werenice," Shrestha said.

At first, Shrestha feltpressured to become a Christian by the girlson her hall. Afterattending several church services, dorm prayer groups and convocations,Shrestha had a change ofheart, and she accepted Jesus Christ during freshman year

Thisdecision caused controversy forShrestha with the people from home country,including her parents They were not very happy and they reacted strongly.

"I was a girl and I was challenging my belief, which created a problem to remain in the society I grew upin," she said Shrestha added,"My mom got sickand didn't eat because ofthisunexpected life event for me,"

Shrestha's parents have become quietabout the situation, believing that in time she will come back toher Hindu roots

Unlike Shrestha, junior Kuuku Duncan grew upin a Christian home He was born inAccra, Ghana and decided to come toour school.Although aChristian, Duncan's faith was not very strong when he first gothere,

"I struggled with my faithever since I turned 12," Duncan said "I feltlikeI had not been able tofullygive my life to Christ, [because] I still reveled insinsometimes."

While here,Duncan became depressed,but did not know why. A friend suggested itmight be because of hisrelationship with God Surrounded by Christians who cared forhim,Duncan became aware ofwhat was missing inhis life

"I feltlike God revealed himselfto me and he broke me down," Duncan said "God was showing me that He was still watching over me,and that he used people of stronger faithto helpme."

Senior Juliana Ospina,born and raised inBogota, Columbia,became a Christian a year before she came to theStates.

"I was invited by a friend ofmine,Erika Valek, togo to herchurch,"Ospina said, "I was not sure ifI wanted to go because I was Catholic."

She decided togo, and God worked on Ospina's heart throughout the sermon "When the pastor gave the invitation, I stood from my seatwithout a doubt, and in thatmoment I asked Christtocome intomy heart and save me,"Ospina said.

Ospina's family refused toaccept her Christianity. "[My parents]believe inthe Catholic Church,and have believed thatforso many years,but it's not the truth,"Ospina said.

Coming tothisschool helped Ospina grow inherfaith and her personal relationship with God. Although her parents were not accepting ofher faith, Ospina continued toseek Jesus Christas herSavior.

"It is such a blessing to know thatthe Creator ofthe Universe loves [me]unconditionally no matters what,and that He is there with me every singleday as I tryto live life forHim,"Ospina said.

Studentsfromover75foreigncountriescelebratetheirheritageduringtheParadeofNations inconvocation.Theydressed intheircountry'sattireand many worshipped intheirown language."I lovethepartwhereinternationalstudentsgottodisplaytheirculturalcostumesand nationalpride," Ngun SuiZing,senior,said "IalsolikedsingingwiththeAmericanstudents Oursingingisapictureof heaven,wherewe willall bepraisingGod inoneaccord."

We

?hool,career, love, vacation^ and c

Q:What kind ofpranks didyou pullwhile livingon campus?

Ilived athome my firstyear,butmy second year I moved into Dorm 6.I had three roommates, two from Philadelphia and one from upstate New York,I still getemails from kidson my hall reminding me ofdifferentpranks that we played on people.

One former student sent me an email recently reminding me ofa prank I pulled during hallmeeting.Back inthose days we had vinylalbums,and I had albums ofdifferentsound effects

One ofthem wasa sound effectofajetplane flying reallylow overhead Itsounded likeitwas going tocome rightthrough your house when you played it,During a hallmeeting onenight, we wired itup sothealbum would playthrough speakers in the hallway. While theRA wastalking, we played thealbum and it sounding like ajetplane was coming through thehallwayand intothedorm.

Q:When did you and yourwife meet?

Becki'sdad always watched my dad on TV during the 70's, and that is why hesent hisgirls tothiscollege I met Becki's sisterduring my college career, Shedated a good friendof mine from high school,soshe invited a largegroup ofstudents togo toherfamily'svacation home intheNorth Carolina Mountains.Becki's dad had a big logcabin and a bunch of us went theretosnow ski I met Becki, who was13atthe time, justa little kid. Thefollowing summer,we were all invited back totheTilley'sbeach house We started talking and became friends. We remained friendsfrom a distance untilshe became a student here fouryears later By then,I was a second year law student attheUniversity ofVirginia and shewas oldenoughto legally date We dated fortwoyears and were married when I finished law school.

Q:How didthe FalwellFarm come tobe?

When Becki and I gotmarried in'87, herdad helped usbuy a farm about 30 minutes from theschool Itwas an oldfarm house that needed some work.Fixing up that farm became our hobby over thenext 20 years Ourfirst son, Trey, was bornin 1989. We thought livingon thefarm would be a great wayto raisekidsand we ended up with four wheelers and horses In 1991, we builtthelake, which took three years tofill up. Once the lakewas full, we used ittorideSea-Doos and water ski For us, thefarm was ourvacation spot aswellashome and, whenever we had freetime,we would spend itouton the farm It is sortofourescape,and itstill hasthefeelofbeing away on atrip, (continuedonpage191) some students had a short driveorflighthome forthe holidays Senior PhilipWhite and hissister sophomore Annette White had an 18hour flightto China,where their parents had been missionaries since they were in juniorhigh

The White family originally lived insouthern Florida where Philipand Annette's fatherworked ata Baptist church The family U had met a missionary involved in an underground church who asked J Mr White to help They moved to Singapore in 1992,following God's CO calling.

"Moving toa new country was a long transition, but God had bigger X plansand a higher calling on my life," Philipsaid.

The White siblingsgrew up inSingapore and under theirfather's training learned tospeak fluent Mandarin.The White family then L^ moved to China nine yearslater

"I spent the firstweek justcrying myself tosleep,but then through * differentcircumstances and my family'ssupport,China became one of ZJ rny favorite places inthe world,"Annette said.

Their parents led Biblestudies in theirhome foryoung adults twice a week.They also got involved with an underground church.Being missionary kidswas not always easy forthe two They had doubts but they learned how great theirlife reallywas.

"I feltlikeI missed out on some other experiences ofAmericanlife, : , especially American football, but I don't regret being inChina at all," ij) Philipsaid

Annette said, "There are partsofme thatwonder what it would be like to have grown up inAmerica,but I've never wished that it would come true,I feelasthough being a missionary kid has given me such a unique perspective on the * world.I'veseen incredible thingsthatthose who grew upin America have never witnessed."

Philipplanned tofollow inhisparent'sfootsteps by pursuing a missions major After graduation he hoped togo to China or wherever God called him.

"I want to be a missionary because it is something that is commanded forevery Bible-believing Christian by Jesus,"hesaid. "That is something I don't take lightly, whether you are called to America,thejungles of Papua New Guinea orthe over-worked cities of China.I justhappened to likereaching out toChina and have theability tospeak tothem intheirown tongue."

Sharing the gospel without breaking the law proved to be difficult forhisparents, and Philiphoped to help them

"You can't reallyopenly advertise [thegospel]," he said. "It'sabout relationshipsand making disciples, focusing on singleindividuals You concentrate on one so they can witness to others."

Annette added,"Itis very difficultto reach people inChina,andit is a constant struggle formy parents.They put inso much time and effortand hardly reap any benefits I respect them so much and would not change anything about how orwhere I grew up."

SiblingsseniorPhilipWhiteandsophomore AnnetteWhitespend some qualitytimetogetherin thesnow TheWhitesiblingslivedinChinaforseveralyears,helpingtheirparentsspreadthegospel FreshmanGordon Personsalsogrew upoverseasinthePhilippineswherehisparentsaremissionaries "Missionarykidsmay getconfusedaboutlanguage,home,cultureand whatotherslabelasnormal, butI personallywouldn'tevergivethatup,"Personssaid "Thisworldisnotourhome,heaven is A home thatwill lastforever."