One Student’s Eyes are Opened (A Reflection on the 2011 ICOM)
January 18, 2012 | Leave a commentSendy Paul is a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, and attended the International Conference On Missions (ICOM) in Atlanta, GA this past November, along with some of her peers who attend the Impact Campus Ministries fellowship group on campus. As so often happens during the ICOM, Sendy’s eyes were opened to the harsh realities that so many Christians are facing in other parts of the world. Impact loves to see the eyes of our students opened, because we know that “open eyes” lead to changed hearts, and changed hearts have the power to IMPACT THE WORLD!
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Going to the Missionary Convention in Atlanta was such an experience. Since relocating to the U.S from Haiti I have never had the opportunity to step out of Florida, so I was happy to go to Atlanta, the place that I have always heard about and seen on TV.
The car ride was the longest I have ever been on, but I am thankful for it, because it allowed me and my CCF friends get to know each other much better. I made lots of new friends that I didn’t pay much attention to before, because I only hung out with the ones I already knew.
All in all the most life changing experience on this trip was the movie about the persecuted church, and how people in India are being treated for professing their Christian faith. I always knew they were persecuted, but seeing it just brings it to another level. It really made me angry seeing what was happening to these people. That movie really touched my heart, and as I looked around at hundreds of people next to me I could see it touched them also. After the movie was over the woman that was in the movie came out on stage. It was so surreal–I couldn’t believe I was seeing her.
I am deeply appreciative that I was able to go on this trip. I’m thankful for the people who donated funds to make this happen. Thank You to all who helped make this happen. It was insightful and a blessing to go.–Sendy Paul