We share an encouraging recent story from Centre Team Leader Fiona at our St Andrews centre:

LL is completing a year’s research and living in a town 20 minutes away from St Andrews. She has thrown herself into the local church, pastored by an Indian PhD student. His Nepali wife is delighted that that LL has joined her in leading worship. A house group enjoys a different perspective on scripture in her thoughtful contributions. Some older people feel seen and heard through her visits and care. The deacons have considered her suggestions about parenting courses as a practical support for families. It is a delight to observe how LL has enriched the life of church.

My prayers for LL since she arrived in Scotland to start a PhD 16 years ago never envisaged what God might do. Initially we were so excited at the interest she showed, from coming to a Good Friday service to her participation in the CU’s international Café and her friendship with a number of Christians. She told me of a dream where she saw the characters for Christianity on her window. She asked God three times to prove his existence by making her shake. She shook all over. “So do you believe in him now?” I asked hopefully. “No, I don’t think so.” Indeed, after a while, she seemed to pull away from Jesus. When I visited her in Beijing, she wasn’t keen to talk about faith, though I smiled to myself as I watched another returnee tell her story of becoming a Christian following her time in St Andrews. After graduation, we put LL in touch with JJ, a Christian in her city. My contact with her was sporadic. She married a non-believer. I confess I was discouraged and my prayers for her faded.

But God is faithful.  The Christian JJ, to whom I introduced LL, “happened” to have an office in her corridor at university. They met to read the Bible. One Good Friday, LL decided to go to JJ’s church and during that service; “it was as though God was speaking directly to me,” she told me. At last, after eight years, she gave her life to Jesus.  

Now, all this time later, it is thrilling to hear details of “what happened next” and to see astounding evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in LL’s life. Her story reminds me that Jesus the Saviour is committed to the long haul as people wrestle with faith, even when I lose patience. He arranges a team of “mission partners” around the world who may not know each other but love him. Together, they are his links in the chain that draws students and ex-students to Christ. This is his work. I am so grateful to catch glimpses of it.

Please do continue to pray for LL.