My dad owns a small business in Bellingham, Washington. He always told me to major in business, since it was a major that could be applied to almost anything. He must have known I would enjoy business the way he does. Like father, like son, I guess.
I originally planned to attend the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. But God had other plans for my life. After a re-evaluation, talks with my parents, and a lot of prayer, I decided to grow for the next few years in a community like Seattle Pacific.
Just as I had hoped, my faith has grown tremendously here. Countless amazing friends, professors, staff, and complete strangers have impacted me. And my three-month study abroad trip to Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, helped refresh my faith and my relationship with Jesus Christ.
Participating in an underground church in China drew me closer than ever to God. I heard personal testimonies, Bible verses read and discussed, and participated in worship and prayer. I made new friends, and had some of the most authentic, spiritually rich conversations ever.
I traveled to Shanghai and Beijing, then to a Tibetan village. We took a 12-day backpacking trip through the Gobi desert, through abandoned ancient cities, along the western part of the Great Wall, through sand dunes and forested mountains, through Xi'an to see the Terracotta Warriors, and so much more.
Overall, I grew personally, academically, spiritually, and vocationally. The experience has helped me know what to expect when conducting business in the future with someone from China – which is highly likely to happen.