My STINT team and myself went to “de-code” the local college campus a couple weeks ago. What's "de-coding" you ask? As a team, we observe the campus, students, hot spots, passing hours, fashion, and things like that to help familiarize us with the campus. At lunch, we met some students, which was a bit interesting, as most of them did not speak English! Fortunately, one of my team members, Nalani, speaks French pretty fluently and was able to be the bridge of communication. [Hopefully soon, the rest of us will have the basic conversational skills to communicate for ourselves!] One of the girls we met, Celia, wants to hang out and also practice her English!
Last week, we went into Paris to team up with the Paris Metro STINT team - they are campus staff as opposed to office staff, like me! The campus was similar to the campus we went to the week before. I was paired up with Jen, one of the team leaders of the Paris Metro team. We ventured out into the cafeteria, around lunch time to meet some students. (French colleges tend to have class 9-12, lunch from 12-2 and then class 2-6.) We ended up sitting with two different groups of girls who spoke some english. We casually started the conversation, asking what they do for fun on the weekends, what they are studying etc. As the conversation continued, we explained that we are working for a non-profit organization, asking students their point of view of spiritual topics. Sadly, neither of the girls from the first group had an opinion. As our conversation continued with them, I found it hard to take things to a deeper level.
The second group of girls sat down next to us mid-conversation with the first group. I started talking to them, asking similar questions to break the ice. I learned that each of them were Muslim and also did not really have an opinion of Jesus. They seemed to "bob and weave" the more thought-provoking questions I asked about spirituality.
Later, when I was debriefing with Jen, she explained that is the typical atmosphere on any college campus in France.
If you think about it, it make sense. Logically, if you don't grown up attending some sort of religious organization, you tend to not have a care, opinion or value about spiritual things - why? - because you don't know any better! Europe has been spiritually dead for a long time and it is evident in the responses given by college students.
Fortunately, God is faithful and Sovereign and can do anything even with the brief spiritual conversations we had with those girls.
Please pray for Europe. Yes, that's big, but God is bigger.
Please pray for the 5 girls Jen and I were able to connect with - that God can use anything for His greater good!
Please pray for encouragement, faithfulness and fruit for the Paris Metro team - this is what they face everyday. They have started an "English club" for French students to practice English - great relationship building opportunities!
