Natalie Maurer Sharing Her Two Words. Photo by Henry Holben
Milligan students gathered in Lower Seeger to hear the testimony of students, Somang Lee, Natalie Maurer, and Luis De La Torre on Wednesday, Feb. 6.
My Two Words is student-led event held by the Apostolos missions club. It seeks to provide students with a platform to share their testimonies and personal experiences. Speakers choose two words or phrases out of their message to emphasize the deeper meaning in their stories.
First up, Somang Lee introduced herself in Cambodian and gave her two words: “Independent” and “Dependent”. She described her experience growing up in South Korea and her travels abroad after graduating from elementary school and spending two weeks with her uncle in Cambodia.
Lee was surprised by the poverty and sickness she witnessed. After a missionary who worked with Lee’s uncle challenged her to study abroad, she felt called to do mission work of her own. Rather than continuing her education in South Korea, she pursued her studies in Cambodia.
“I think this is God’s plan,” Lee had said to her mother. “Are you going to stand in God’s way?”
She remarked how her self-reliance influenced her walk with God, “I did not think of God as someone I could get as a companion.”
She talked about learning to depend on God. She shared the story of meeting her boyfriend, Bunkry Leng while both were attending an international school together and the culture shock she experienced in each of the places she spent time in. Lee confessed feelings of uncertainty about her future.
“I am scared, but I just want to tell my seniors, it’s ok to be dependent on God sometimes, and always.”
The second speaker, Natalie Maurer shared her two words: “shattered” and “whole.” Maurer told the audience about the personal struggles of faith she endured after her father’s death from leukemia.
“Stories are more than just fairy tales.” She expressed the shock she felt when her father was diagnosed with Leukemia. In 2011, Maurer’s father was treated and later found cancer-free, but with an unexpected turn of events, the leukemia returned.
“Every solution created a new problem,” Maurer sumized the grief and anger she felt towards God after her father’s death with her first word- “shattered”.
She described the support she received from a counselor at a summer program, Camp Calvary. Maurer discovered that she could accept the joy of Christ, and learn to be be happy with the life she had.
“I am honestly thankful for the story he has given me.” Said Maurer. Concerning the tragic loss of her father, “…he will be in my heart and part of my story” she said.
Torre’s words were “inconsistency” and “service”. He began his story by asking the audience two questions: “Are you scared of death?” and “Do you question what you believe?” He then shared what he called “inconsistencies” growing up in a non-religious home in Mexico while attending a Catholic school.
Torre’s testimony included a story about his recovery from a near-death experience.. He was attacked at the age of 15, while walking home. Torre remarked on the shock he felt upon waking up in the hospital.
“First thing I thought: they stole my wallet. I’ve got to cancel my credit card.” Torre mused. After inquiring about his injuries and treatment, Torre’s doctors told him his recovery was a miracle.
When he was attacked, Torre had been wearing a t-shirt with a logo featuring the virgin Mary on one side, and then a single bloodstain on the other. Although he had been stabbed more than 10 times, he only has one scar from the incident.
“I learned my life’s a gift.” Torre was inspired by the experience to engage in service and mission work. Torre urged attendees to be active in their communities. “God is God and he’s the reason we’re all here,” Torre concluded.
Any students interested in sharing their testimonies at My Two Words should contact Ellinor Mullins. The next My Two Words will be on February 26.