 |
| Memorial Union, where Chi Alpha and English Club meet on Mizzou's campus Photo screenshot from a video provided by Marta Payne |
 |
| Saying goodbye at the bus station Photo courtesy of Becca Clay |
Finally it was time to leave. They gathered together to pray. Those headed to the airport boarded the bus. The rain continued to pour down. As the bus pulled away, those staying behind stretched their hands forward and prayed once again. Tears were shed. They weren't just sending off their friends; they were sending off family.
"How do you do this every year?" one student asked. "Is this really what it's like all the time?"
"Yep, this is what it's all about," Becca said.
That was the end of Becca Clay's eighth year at Mizzou. Becca is a campus missionary with Chi Alpha (XA) at the University of Missouri - Columbia and Columbia College. She is the director of XAi, the ministry's outreach to international students. She joined Mizzou Chi Alpha in 2009, during her freshman year at the university. During a regular service that year, on February 23, 2010, she knew she would be dedicating her life to missions instead of continuing with her plan of becoming a math teacher. Then in her senior year, she was at missions conference, when God further confirmed that she should stay at Mizzou. "I remember getting really excited at one point and turning around to Tom and Missi, and I was like, 'I can stay right?' And they're like, 'Welcome aboard'. So I got to stay," she said.
When she graduated in 2013, she began an internship with them. In her second year, Tom asked her to begin leading XAi. In 2015, she officially joined the ministry staff.
"In that moment, you could feel the weight of how important it is to love these students every moment that you have, to sacrifice your time to allow yourself to have new, authentic, genuine relationships," Becca said of the night at the bus station. She said it was a reminder of why she does what she does.
Becca's vision for XAi is that every international student on any campus in Columbia, Missouri, would leave having heard about Jesus. That is broken down into three components.
- They meet the needs of international students without separating from the rest of the ministry.
- They equip international students to return to their home countries with the confidence to lead others to Jesus.
- They teach American students that "they have XAi in them" and creating a sense of responsibility in reaching international students.
 |
| Prayer at English Club Photo courtesy of Becca Clay |
When Becca first started helping with XAi, very few American students in Chi Alpha knew any international students. According to the International Center at Mizzou, 80% of international students never enter an American home. "We've changed that statistic on our campuses over the past year or so," Becca said.
In working to reach every one of the 2,700 international students, XAi has several methods. "We meet them, and we just invite them into our lives, and we do English Club," Becca said. "To me, English Club is a welcome mat into the rest of the ministry."
In English Club, students learn common English phrases, particularly ones that won't make sense with a direct translation. Then they play a game to demonstrate an understanding of the phrase. One week, they taught the phrase "party animal." Becca said students started "flailing and dancing" during their skits that night, and they were able to bond over it further at the Halloween party later that week. Another time they learned phrases that had to do with love and relationships. One of the students demonstrated understanding of their new phrase by saying, "Everybody has eyes for Becca." "They liked to flatter me, because they thought that would get them more points," Becca said.
Becca starting a game at English Club
Video courtesy of Marta Payne
This year, there will be some changes. Taking a clue from team members who worked with a similar ministry in Indonesia, conversations at English Club will be less about games and more about the important topics of life - religion, family, culture. "My hope is that we're going to go deeper, faster, that real connections are going to be made," Becca said.
 |
| Becca with students at the XAi Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner Photo courtesy of Becca Clay |
Students also get connected with conversation partners. They lead an Intro to Christianity class, which this year will utilize the Alpha Courses, a series that introduces people to the basics of Christianity. A banquet is hosted every year before Thanksgiving to introduce foreign students to American holiday traditions and the Christmas story. This year, Becca hopes to have one XAi team member in every small group Bible study, called delegates. Their purpose will be to connect international students to other members of the ministry.
Becca explained some of the differences in ministering to students from other countries. Many need practical help with getting around and making phone calls. Sometimes, a trip to Wal-Mart is the best chance to talk about Jesus. There are other differences though.
"A lot of these students have never heard of Jesus," Becca said. "Some of these students is as simple as sin. What is sin? Who's God? You mean there's something out there that's not me?" Even once they understand who Jesus is it can be difficult for them to make a decision.
"We have a lot of students who are so close to accepting Jesus, to making that commitment," Becca said. "And typically when students, especially students from Asian culture, they're fully committed. It's not half in, half out. It's all in. And they know that, so every decision is weighty. I have students that are weighing the cost. Choosing Jesus could mean disappointing your parents for the first time."
 |
| Mizzou's group at the national All Nations conference Photo courtesy of Becca Clay |
But Becca and her team are doing their job well. "We're starting to get recognized because we are doing things with excellence and they're seeing," Becca said. She has been able to form a relationship with the national XAi director and his wife where she can learn from them. The national director has asked for her help planning the yearly national conference as well as teaching other students and leaders how to reach international students. "I think my involvement will grow nationally," Becca said. "I really do think it's an honor, because I think it again speaks to the fruit."
Some of that fruit can be seen in the Japanese students she saw off at the bus station last year. They are returning to Japan ready to start a new Bible study on their campus. Mizzou Chi Alpha is doing what they can to help and possibly connect them with a pastor who will go work with them.
For now, Becca's plan is to stay at Mizzou Chi Alpha. But she is always checking with God if that plan should change. "I've counted, and I have friends in over 30 countries at this point. And my heart is all over the place. Every year I make deeper and deeper connections with students where it's harder and harder to say goodbye or see ya later. I have to constantly ask, 'Okay, am I supposed to go? When do I follow a student home?'," Becca said. "As far as I know, I'm here because God hasn't told me otherwise yet."
Prayer requests from Becca:
- That she would be fully supported so that she can help support other missionaries, particularly her students both foreign and domestic who end up working abroad
- For her team members to be prepared for the increased opportunities to minister this year's changes will bring
- For the students who are still counting the cost, that they would have the peace and confidence to choose Jesus
If you are interested in Becca's work, you can visit mizzouxa.com or contact me. If you are interested in being part of her support team, you can join here. You may also contact me for more information.
No comments:
Post a Comment