This Morning I taught at the East Coast Bible College. It was wonderful. The Bible College is all taught in English and the students are required to speak English while on campus but can speak their language or dialect when we travel. There are at least 5 languages that I know of that are spoken among the students. It is a very diverse student body. Some of the students I thought were not Indian at all, because of their skin color and facial features, but they are indeed. These students are from a state called Manipur up near Nepal.

When it came time to teach I was concerned that I would not be able to fill all the time; but God works in mysterious ways! I taught on the “Importance of Children and Youth in the Local Body of Believers.” It went well even though I stumbled over my words a little. I think because I have gotten used to speaking with an interpreter. It is nice with an interpreter because you have to speak slowly and you have time to think your next thought through while it is being translated to Telegu. (I think that Telegu words are longer, either that or Jeevan expands on what I have said! lol)

After I was done (I was done a little early) I asked the students what we should do. The room was quite and the students were smiling among themselves and looking at me. I was feeling very shy and unsure of what to do because I was the “teacher” or as Jeevan said this morning, “You are a professor now Suzanne. You take charge and teach what you want and do with the class as you please!” Then one young man spoke up and said, “Sister Suzanne we want you to share a song with us.” Now I really was shy, I said, “You want me to sing a song for you?” “Yes, Yes!” all the students said and sat up straight and looked at me expectantly. How could I say no? How could I tell them I was to afraid? How could I say I am very unsure of myself when I sing? How could I tell them that this something that I have battled with during my life and am still working on? How could I say no, to the simple request that they asked yet unknowingly to them it was a huge request?

So I said, “I am feeling very shy… I will sing for you…I need to close my eyes because if I see everyone I will get to scared.” They all laughed and smiled. And so I sang. “All who are thirsty” and there was the healing and the strength that is always there when I press though and obey God when he asks me to sing. Why do I continue to struggle with singing when I know it brings me joy and when I know that there is joy on the other side of obedience? After I sang I opened my eyes in relief that it was over  and I saw the students getting out notebooks. “Teach us sister”, a few said in unison. And so we all learned the song. One young man learned it on the guitar. After that song we learned another (the mustard seed song/ in English not Spanish lol) and learned the dance moves. Class went over not under as I had expected. We all left with joy. Many students went singing the new songs to their next activity. I was blessed and reminded to not put limits on God and on myself. To remember how God has been faithful before and he will be faithful now and always