by Sophie Lopez| Summer 2024 |
As an Advertising and Public Relations student, I found it weird to go on a trip to Oxford with people from the College of Business Administration. I did not know people, yet I expected to enjoy visiting the United Kingdom for the first time. But, through this trip, the Lord surpassed my desires. The Business professors who traveled with my group were Dr. Perkins and Vardiman, and on the first day of class, they had an exam prepared for the International Business class. I had never been as excited to take a business exam as I was on the first day of class abroad. After the exam, the professors opened up about their testimonies and shared with the students that what they desired for this trip was for us to become a family and be there for each other through the joys and hardships. They both mentioned how much they loved Jesus, and I saw them live it out, which was encouraging and impressive since I had never met them before studying abroad. Through this trip, I learned that God has given different talents to people and that He will never leave His creation.
Furthermore, for the International Business class, the final project was working in groups as consultants for a restaurant in Oxford named Joe’s. Other than being our final grade, it was a competition. The owners of the restaurant chose a group as the winner. It is such a blessing to mention that my group won first place. Before this project, I thought my creative and media skills were irrelevant. But, the Lord and the community I was surrounded by proved that pessimistic and demeaning idea wrong. One of the most valuable lessons from studying abroad this Summer is realizing God has gifted His creation with different talents and that those skills are to honor and glorify Him. Also, being in a house allowed me to get to know the people on the trip well.
In Oxford, I met some of the most God-fearing and loving people, and what a blessing to call them friends now. As previously mentioned, it made me realize that traveling with like-minded people is truly a blessing, but it made me wonder if I would meet other followers of Christ outside of the Oxford house. Besides, I thought the Lord was only using ACU people as vessels for His kingdom, but He showed me how He uses people everywhere. God is not just in one place. He is Omnipresent. I went to Northern Ireland, coffee shops, libraries, Port Meadow, and France, and the Lord was there. I met believers all around the United Kingdom! And these people that I will most likely never see again, until the gates of heaven, ministered to me. Matthew 28:20 says, “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” This study abroad trip is a testimony of God’s never-ending faithfulness. He will use a different community and environment to remind His children that there is a purpose for them and that He is omnipresent.
