For two weeks in July, the Oklahoma City Ministry Center was an international melting pot. Forty-four young people from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada, the United States, and Mexico all gathered for a time of learning and language exchange at the VOICE Conference. VOICE stands for “Visualizing Opportunities In Character and English.”

For twenty-nine of the students, Oklahoma was their first stop on a month-long trip to the U.S. from Asia. Their goals were to improve their English, experience American culture, and most importantly, grow in their relationship with the Lord. Throughout the month they were involved in a Bible course based on the framework of the Ten Commandments.

For the remaining group of fifteen, their purpose was learning TESOL, which is “Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.” Throughout their time in Oklahoma, the teachers-in-training also joined the other attendees in activities to build valuable relationships with Taiwanese students before they travel to Taiwan. One of the activities that the English students and TESOL students did together was to learn and perform a musical in English called “Promise,” based loosely on the parable of the prodigal son.

After the academic time in Oklahoma, the twenty-nine students from Asia continued to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where they spent a week at the Northwoods Conference Center. While enjoying the beauty of God’s creation, they wrestled with the core question: “Is Jesus Christ really the Lord of my life?” Throughout the previous weeks, they had discussed what a Christ-centered life looks like, but the last week was a time of great conviction as many of them realized their need to put Christ first in their lives.

While the “melting pot” has now emptied as the language students returned to their international home, many of the ones trained in teaching English have now traveled to Taiwan, where they will be teaching English to elementary students during the upcoming school year. Please pray for the ones who are new babes in Christ as well as for the ones embarking on a new adventure in a foreign land.