Starting Wednesday, Oct. 28, the Center for Student Action (CSA) held a three-day lunch series that consisted of table-talk conversations.
The conversations centered on three topics, each addressed by different speakers.
Wednesday’s talk focused on the refugee crisis, Thursday’s on human trafficking, and Friday’s on the Great Commission. Each session ended with information on how to get involved and be part of the solution.
The conversation on Wednesday was guided by Joni Brinkley and Janet Chen. Brinkley has served worldwide with Operation Mobilization for 26 years, and Chen has served overseas and currently organizes teams of missionaries through Epicentre, a church in Pasadena.
Brinkley emphasized the importance of mobilizing and being able, as students, to put our hearts, callings and skills into organizations that are doing the same.
For 10 years, Brinkley served in various countries where God’s Word was unwelcome. Now, Brinkley calls for college students to take her place in the restricted areas she’s visited.
On the other hand, Chen, the second speaker for that session, touched on the evolutionary changes occurring in Muslim countries as many have accepted the Christian faith.
“There is something crazy going on in the Muslim world right now,” said Chen. “More Muslims are coming to faith than any other time in history. Imagine refugees who encounter Jesus in refugee camps, or wherever [they are] placed. It is a doorway time for the refugees, but also a doorway time for you, too.”
The missionary groups that Chen is involved with at Epicentre are part 59 such groups serving across the globe. Her upcoming trips are scheduled for this summer in Europe to serve refugees.
“Each crisis is an invitation from God to jump into something amazing,” Chen said. “As we talk through the door, it is going to be a destiny marker.”
The lunch on Wednesday ended with the opportunity to sign up for various upcoming worldwide missionary work.
On Thursday, the conversation focused on human trafficking, a recurring issue.
In 2014, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline received numerous reports of human trafficking cases in each state, and the International Labour Organization estimates an approximate 20.9 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. Of those, 5.5 million are children, and 14.2 million of those are victims of labor exploitation.
On Friday, the table talks focused on the Great Commission.
“Motivational talks can only do so much,” said applied exercise major Candace Perry. “It’s serving that adds to the solution. As an activist, I have an ongoing temptation to make a change.”
Whether it be addressing the refugee crisis, human trafficking or the Great Commission, students have the available resources on campus to get out in the world and do as Jesus would.
CSA in particular offers opportunities year- round for students to serve and make a change, such as Action Teams and Mexico trips. The next opportunity to serve through CSA is Mexico Outreach during Thanksgiving break.