Elizabeth Youssef
Fall Student Reflections & Gratitude
Fall Student Reflections & Gratitude

Summer Reflections: La Familia

Junior Robbie Wooten shares memories from his time at Pico Escondido, a Young Life camp in the Dominican Republic

Robbie (far right, highest in the air) catches some air with his friends.

Sitting at the Study Center, eating Harris Teeter sandwiches and drinking tea with friends, I feel at home once again in Chapel Hill. Cole asks me about my summer, and I begin to panic.  How could I summarize my month-long mission trip in one brief sentence?  I only have one shot before he loses focus.  Here it goes.

“It was amazing… a really life-giving experience. We had such a family down there, working together to build for God’s kingdom in the DR.  Jesus was really with us.” 

I feel pretty satisfied with that answer.  Cole seems interested and happy to hear about it.

Indeed Jesus was with us.  Our community was really close.  We were a family.  I made lifelong friends, around the country and around the globe.  We got so close because we were on mission together.

This was not just any mission, either.  We were living in the middle of poverty, preparing a beautiful Young Life camp for Dominican kids.  We were praying for Jesus to bring his Kingdom of justice and love to the DR, and together we were raking grass to help make it happen.  It was a really exciting mission.

“Our community was really close.  We were a family.  I made lifelong friends, around the country and around the globe.”

I miss my mission trip friends.  We had a good thing going.  We shared a purpose.  You simply cannot beat the fellowship of co-mission!  I am excited to get back to it soon.  But I am in school for at least one more year.  Am I going to simply look past this year to whatever mission lies beyond?

Drinking my hot breakfast tea at the Study Center, I see a community before my eyes.  These friends are asking me questions.  Brandt makes a silly joke and I laugh.  It is good to be with them.  We are not working together in the DR, but we are sharing life together.  We are encouraging one another.  Seeking to discern God’s call on our lives.  Learning together.

I look down at a book I have found from the Study Center shelf.  It is a proposal for understanding the unity of the New and Old Testaments.  I have heard lots in class about how they supposedly do not line up, but I am beginning to see a cohesive story in the Bible.  It is a story of Justice at work from Genesis to Luke to Revelation, a story of God’s people expanding and growing as a missionary community of friends.  I am realizing I want to be a part of God’s story wherever I am.  I am happy to be living, fellowshipping and studying for just a little bit longer in Chapel Hill.

Summer Reflections: Merciful Justice

Rising junior Mariah Harrelson spent her summer on the most famous hill in America, Capitol Hill

By Mariah Harrelson

This summer, I was blessed by the amazing opportunity to intern in a North Carolina Senator’s district office and a congressional D.C. office. I’m beginning my junior year studying Political Science and Public Policy this fall, and not only have I learned so much this summer about my studies, but God has also been moving in incredible ways to reaffirm His calling for my life and gift me with opportunities to glorify Him with my passion for policy work.

The calling found in Micah 6:8 has motivated my desire to pursue a career in policy and the justice system:

“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

More than ever this summer I have seen that – just as Christ advocates for us – we as Christians have the opportunity, both through our daily interactions and careers, to demonstrate the Gospel by being advocates for others.

Washington, D.C. is an intersection of ideologies, people from across the nation and those from around the world. Throughout my internship, I was able to have conversations about faith and politics with those I met. Absolute truth, the validity of the Bible, and religion versus relationship were among the topics of discussion as opportunities arose to share the reason behind my career goals.

I am so excited to return to Chapel Hill this fall with a renewed context and vision for the future through my involvement in Student Government, Cru, the Campus Y, and the Study Center’s Lydia Group, a mentorship community for undergraduate women. For me, the Study Center has been the intersection of academics, faith, and community at Carolina, and this group has continuously encouraged me to seek a career rooted in Christ, pursue my passion, and invest in those around me. God has already used the Study Center in incredible ways, and I cannot wait to see how God will use the Study Center this fall to continue the work He’s already started both in my life and in our Carolina community!

The Final 4D Dinner of the Semester with Dr. Wesley Burks

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This semester, I have discovered that estimating in advance the number of attendees for our 4D Dinners is an inexact science, to say the least.  Factors such as the weather, students’ exam schedules, and an unforeseen wave of late-breaking enthusiasm can dramatically impact student turnout.  Some weeks, we prepare dinner for 30 and only 20 students are able to come; other weeks, the tables are set for 20 and then 30 students attend.

Our last 4D Dinner of the semester on November 21st was one of those unpredictable Mondays.  It was a cold evening on a short week of class, the day before many students were set to depart Chapel Hill for Thanksgiving break.  Taking these things into account, we estimated 25 students would attend and we cooked and arranged the place settings accordingly.  At 5:55 pm, I noticed a burgeoning crowd of new faces congregating by the front door.  I went out to welcome these visitors and discovered that two different student small groups from Chapel Hill Bible Church had decided to attend the 4D Dinner as their group’s fellowship time for that week.  I then met several Medical students who had heard about the dinner from a classmate and who had made the trek to the Study Center for the first time because they had a particular interest in that evening’s speaker, Dr. Wesley Burks (Executive Dean of the UNC School of Medicine).  After 15 minutes of meeting and greeting these guests, we finally circled up to bless the food, and then everyone transitioned into the dining room. 

I was reminded of Jesus’ miracle of five loaves and two fishes that evening as somehow our meal prepared for 25 was able to comfortably feed the 40-or-so attendees.  Paul’s exhortation from Romans 12:10 to “prefer one another” came to mind as several Study Center regulars willingly gave up their seats to first-time visitors, and instead sat on couches and even the floor.  The dining room was hectic, but also alive with conversation and with new acquaintances being made.  It was a beautiful sight to behold and a fitting end to a semester of wonderful Monday night meals.

At 6:35, I introduced Dr. Burks and handed him the floor.  He proceeded to give an excellent address which included a brief overview of his life story along with a more detailed account of the discernment process that led him to the realization that God was calling him to the vocation of medicine.  He shared about his experiences practicing Pediatrics and also in university administration with UNC hospitals.  He brought along a copy of Every Good Endeavor, a book co-written by Tim Keller and Katherine Alsdorf, and he recommended it as a particularly helpful resource for students with questions about how their faith relates to their vocation.  One of the practical pieces of advice that Dr. Burks shared that evening was that he strongly encourages pre-Med students (and other students planning to go to graduate school) to take at least one year away from school after undergrad to get some work/life experience before continuing on in their field.

After he concluded speaking, there was 10 minutes of question and answer time and then we prayed for Dr. Burks to draw the evening to a close.  Several students stayed beyond 7:15 to continue getting to know one another or to ask Dr. Burks a personal question.  The evening was an excellent reminder to me to trust in the Lord’s provision in every circumstance (especially when we seriously underestimate our number of dinner guests!).  We’d like to thank Dr. Burks for closing out this semester’s lineup of 4D guest speaker dinners; we are already looking forward to the return of these dinners and to new speakers next semester!