RESTORING FUNDING FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES
UW–LaCrosse
by Carrie Thomson

In recent years God has done some significant things in the area of racial reconciliation in our chapter at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Our vision statement articulates our desire to reach students of every ethnicity and culture. We’ve by no means figured everything out, but I’m encouraged to see the ways God keeps working in this area in our chapter and on our campus.

Last year, our chapter bridge-builder, Steph, shared with group that she had found out from the president of the Latino American Student Organization (LASO) that the university was planning to cut funding for the ethnic groups on campus. At a large-group meeting, Steph let the chapter know about this and encouraged chapter members to attend a Student Senate meeting to show support for the funding.

A few weeks after the meeting, the president of LASO (who is a Christian) came to one of our large-group meetings. He stood up and publicly thanked the 15–20 I-V students who attended the Student Senate meeting, and shared that they had decided to continue the funding. Apparently a number of them were curious about why so many white students would show up for something like this. We hope they’ll begin to grasp that our love for Jesus compels us to love the entire campus!

—Carrie Thomson is in her eighth year on staff, serving as an area director in western Wisconsin. She likes doing pretty much anything that involves hanging out with people.

A DESIRE FOR UNITY
Virginia Tech
by Bill Robinson

When the night began, it felt like a junior high school dance—awkward and forced. About 50 black students mingled together on one side of the room while a hoard of white students chatted on the other. Although both groups wanted to get to know one another, it was hard to know where to begin.

After a few minutes, Mike, Trish and I started nervously across the room to greet our guests. We knew they were fellow believers in Christ, but we were afraid of mistakenly saying the wrong things. But as we began to talk with Marcus, JB and Jewel, God began to ease our minds. The tension in the room subsided as more and more students began to talk to one another between racial groups.

As the meeting began, the executive teams of both I-V and the Enlightened Gospel Choir got up and introduced themselves. They explained that several of them had become friends through a management class and had decided to have the two groups meet together because of their desire to unify the Christian community at our school.

They began with a skit on each race’s perception of the other. An extended time of worship followed, with the I-V worship band leading one portion and the gospel choir leading the other. The night culminated with a video of a speaker at the Urbana 2000 Convention. As she talked about her own struggles with racial prejudice, many people were touched. She talked about how love and unity were the mark of the early church in Acts and concluded with a call for students to repent and choose to love believers of every race.

At the conclusion of her talk, several students embraced one another and both black and white students apologized for their lack of love for each other. During the last segment of worship, there was a real sense of unity and brotherhood as students worshiped God together. What a beautiful picture of what will take place in heaven, when believers from every tribe, language and nation come together to worship Christ! (Revelation 5:9)

Since that first meeting, we find that we still struggle with how to be involved in each other’s lives and how to make adjustments in our chapter worship and fellowship on campus. But, with God’s leading, we’ll move forward into deeper friendships and richer relationships with each other.

—Bill Robinson has been on staff six years at Virginia Tech University. He is married to Debbi and has an “insolent” cat named General. When he’s not working with students, he enjoys glacier skiing and long walks with his wife.

TAKING A RISK
UT–Austin
by David and Laurel Hanke

Ann is a white student who is one of the leaders of the University of Texas chapter in Austin. Last spring, she was challenged at the leadership meetings where issues of racism and multiethnicity were explored. Yet it was difficult to know how to apply it to her life. She began praying for her lab partner, Lisa, an Asian-American woman. As conversations turned to spiritual things, Lisa made it clear she did not want to be a Christian, but she was also vulnerable in sharing with Ann the hurt that came from growing up in a small Texas town where her family was one of the few of Asian-American descent. They had experienced a lot of prejudice, even from among the Christians.

As the semester went by and their friendship developed, Ann invited Lisa to CORE, the regular seeker meeting for students who are investigating Jesus. Ann promised Lisa that nothing would be “forced” upon her. She even promised that if Lisa felt pressure in any way, she would write up the next five lab reports alone!

Lisa brought some posters to the CORE meeting that were promoting an Asian-American magazine she helps publish on campus. There she met Laurel who had read the magazine and enjoyed the perspective. Lisa couldn’t believe that anyone in the group had even heard of it, much less would be interested. She also discussed the magazine with others from InterVarsity who were there that night. After the meeting, Lisa talked to Ann about the interest the Christians had taken in her, in her ethnicity and how it makes her unique. She had never experienced that before.

This year, Ann and Lisa don’t have any classes together, but they still make an effort to hang out regularly, continuing their spiritual dialog and discussing racial reconciliation issues. Trust is building in their relationship. They talk about significant life issues and spend time with each other’s friends. This fall, Lisa and her boyfriend came to a party where she knew most of the people would be white Christians. That was a huge step for someone who experienced judgment and discrimination by white Christians in her small hometown.

Recently Lisa wrote the cover story for the Asian-American magazine on campus. It was a very personal account of her time growing up with discrimination and eventually realizing that it was not normal to be teased as she was about her ethnicity. Before it was printed Lisa showed a copy to Ann. It was an intense story. Ann volunteered to help distribute the magazine when it came out. Lisa suggested she take some to the I-V group, remembering how Laurel had read an earlier one, and the interest they had taken in her.

We are seeing the intersection of witness and reconciliation on our campus. There are a number of students like Ann who are beginning to see the gospel enter into their friendships with non-Christians and with students of a different ethnicity. Our heavenly Father is working to heal our broken relationships with him and with each other. That’s how we know God’s kingdom is growing at the University of Texas.

—David Hanke is the area director for Central Texas. Laurel, his wife, has served on staff for many years and is currently a full-time mom to their son, five-month-old Macrae.