A Glimpse of Heaven

I ACT because. . .

... the Kingdom of God includes every tribe and nation, and I want to help bring more people into that family. - Skyler Downs, ’19, Administrative Assistant for Campus Ministries

Skyler Downs, ’19, gets emotional when talking about what she has experienced in Cumberlands’ international ministries.

“Seeing all the nations come together under one roof and share a meal together, it’s powerful. It’s beautiful,” she said. “That’s what heaven’s going to look like.”

Skyler wasn’t involved in international ministries as a student, but her job as the administrative assistant in the Office of Campus Ministries has grown to include international ministries. It hasn’t changed her view of God necessarily, more so expanded her understanding of God’s heart for the nations. And it’s helped her appreciate the unique experiences of internationals.

She said, “Your American college friend can drive you to their hometown, and they can walk around with you and say, ‘Hey, remember that important place in my life I told you about? This is that place!’ International students can’t do that. But they can cook their grandma’s famous recipe for you at International Food Night, or they can sing their favorite song in their native language at World’s Got Talent. And when you try the food or listen to the song, you see them watching you experience it for the first time, watching your reaction, and the joy on their faces is just overwhelming.”

Her mental image of the Church has expanded too. It’s easy to only think of the Church as being your home church or a collection of local churches. But in reality, it’s global. The thought is humbling but also relieving. Regardless of one local church’s situation, the global Church continues. Though all believers are different, they are united under the same God. It’s crazy that 40+ nations are represented on Cumberlands’ campus, but Skyler is making the most of the opportunity, doing her best to reach those nations for the sake of Christ.