Student Blog Post

What Chi Alpha (XA) Means to Me

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Author info:  Zach is a senior at American University and enrolled in the PPL Program. He’s from New York (not NYC, mind you!), enjoys playing Unstable Unicorns and works part time at the Kay Spiritual Life Center on campus. Connect with him on Twitter or IG.



For many recent high school graduates, the month of August is filled with big transitions and conflicting emotions. It marks the final countdown to the much-anticipated college “move-in day.” The coming weeks are a whirlwind of final goodbyes with lifelong friends and last-minute trips to Target. In a short amount of time life seems to turn on its head. 

For many soon to be freshman, this experience can grow a pit of uncertainty in their stomachs. At night, as they contemplate their new beginnings, students are bombarded with internal questions such as “Will I make any friends,” “Am I going to fit in,” and “Are my classes going to be difficult?” 

I know these same questions plagued my mind the in weeks before I came to American University. Transitioning from rural Upstate New York, I was terrified that I wouldn’t fit in or find community here in the “big city.” The only place I knew to look was in a campus ministry. 

After a quick Google search, I found an event and decided to step outside of my comfort zone. Going to ‘Cones and Chi Alpha’ during my first week of college was the best decision I’ve ever made! My very first conversation was with a guy whom I now consider one of my closest friends and could not imagine life without. 

Not only did Chi Alpha give me a community where I could fit in, I had found my home away from home! 

What does Chi Alpha mean to me? Well, it means everything! This community has encouraged me in seasons of joy, comforted me in sorrow, and stood by me in trial. The Lord has used each and every person involved to radically change the trajectory of my life. I went from a guy on the edges of my walk with Jesus, desperately clinging to whatever faith I had remaining from my parents, to a man who craves a deep and personal connection with my Lord and Savior. 

I now serve on the XA leadership team as one of the guys' life group leaders. This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It has allowed me to put my faith into practice and to develop relationships with people that I know will last a lifetime. If I have learned anything from leading it’s that God is ALWAYS in control, and that is a GOOD thing! It was only through His love, patience, and guidance that I am where I am today. It is by his hand that I found my family here in Washington D.C. 

If you are a student at American University, new or old, and are searching for meaning, purpose, and community, Chi Alpha is standing here waiting to welcome you home!

 

Published on August 14, 2019 || Shareable Link: http://bit.ly/2N1K1la

Bubble Tea and Kind Words

Author info: Michelle Luberto is a junior at Georgetown University. Her talents include all things media and design, photography, and consuming large amounts of lemons at the Tombs with Bonnie. When she's not studying abroad in France, she leads a women's Lifegroup and sings on the worship team. You can follow her on Instagram. 

Before I arrived at Georgetown, I was skeptical as to what my place on campus would be. Nearly every freshman feels that paralyzing fear at some point. The place that I now call home was big and scary and overwhelming - all I could do was hold God’s hand. 

Chi Alpha became a part of my story within days of my arrival on campus. Bubble tea and kind words (what I know now to be a staple in this community) were the vehicles that it used to work itself into my life.

I somehow found myself attending their first service of the year (dragging my roommate along too, of course). I was excited but nervous, hoping I had found my place. Jon Rice, our former director, gave a sermon on how messy this community was… an interesting way to welcome us new freshmen in. Looking back, those words were carefully chosen, transformative, divine, even. I learned from the very start that my involvement here would not be easy, but would certainly be rewarding. I remember leaving that night and thinking I had liked it there. I liked the way they served chips and salsa and lemonade. I liked the way the leaders had red name tags and were always there, spread out, ready to meet us where we were at. I liked the way the worship band was student-led and the prayers were authentic and Jesus was present. I decided to keep coming.

“...my involvement here would not be easy, but would certainly be rewarding.”

Chi Alpha was the first organization to let me in without an agenda. The first group of people to disregard the Georgetown culture of busyness and resume-building and look at me as the daughter of God that I am. Chi Alpha is a ministry who genuinely chases after God’s heart while seeking to protect each others’ - although we often fall short.

After two years of being on campus, I now know exactly why the Lord called me to Georgetown. I am nothing without Him and these people, this community that has built me up in ways unfathomable. I am at Georgetown to set up the chips and salsa and lemonade, to wear my red name tag, to lead the worship team and to pray bold prayers with the people I love. I thank God each and every day for this ministry and His faithfulness through it and have forever been changed since that first bubble tea.

Syndicated on July 6, 2017

What XA Means To Me

Author info: XY Lau was born in Malaysia, raised in China, and is about to start his fourth year studying Public Relations and Strategic Communication at American University in Washington, D.C. Having attended multiple international schools in his lifetime, he has gained a fluency not only in a multitude of languages, but also in a multitude of English accents. The conglomeration of cultures through which he had lived would confuse his senses of ethics and personality, but he finally came to peace with who he was when he found his identity in Christ. He will resume his role as a Chi Alpha small group leader and homeless ministry leader once the Fall semester starts. Oh, and he loves puns and music. You can connect with him on the web and Facebook. 

Showing Up for the Showdowns

As this summer enters into its final phase, I eagerly await my final year of Chi Alpha. My daydreams fill with hope, and my plans are tinged with anticipation. Mulling through all the faces that I miss so dearly, I pray over all the new ones coming in. I am excited, once again, to show up for the showdowns.
 
Throughout my time here, I am becoming ever more aware of where I end and where God begins. I have seen Him soften the hearts of those I couldn’t approach, breaking down longstanding, robust barriers of hurt I couldn’t scratch and instilling a healing, lasting peace for so many longing students who let Him in. His presence has become that firm and steadfast anchor for our souls, His promises interwoven into the very fabric of our community. And with time, His Spirit has continued to mold us, growing us in holy wisdom along the way.

“I am becoming ever more aware of where I end and where God begins.”

As a Chi Alphan, I now understand that my commission as a Christian does not require me to go on a mission trip every year, but to constantly be on mission every day. The campus has become my mission field, teeming with precious images of God to be won for His Glory. It is in these instances when I see my cause as individual showdowns, each person I meet a new battle to guide them out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Seizing upon the urgency of the times, I ask God to use me in powerful and remarkable ways for His victory. And boy, does He deliver.

As a Christos apostolos, I now understand that I can’t win a showdown with a single act of greatness, but rather with a devotional, often monotonous rhythm of consistency. Sowing seeds within college students could often be frustrating, but at the sight of that timid, quiet freshman raising his hand in worship for the first time, I am willing to do it all again. For that sophomore who left his life of sin to devote it to ministry, I would do it all again. For that junior who became Chi Alpha President despite having almost died less than two years ago, I definitely would do it all again. From this steady rhythm came an outpouring of God’s transforming love, and I just had to be there to witness it all.

The significance of this ministry speaks for itself whenever one of my guys states that he would not know where he would be today had Chi Alpha not been there for him. It speaks for itself in the multitude of Godly relationships that have sprouted from the cracks of this university, from the deepest of brotherhoods and sisterhoods to the most committed of marriages. This is an impenetrable community, built on the rock to be the salt and light to the world. God has made a body of Christ out of our student body, and it continues to grow through the grueling showdowns of our mission.

As an Ambassador of Christ, I now know that God will make the best out of all we give Him— so isn’t it grand that we are called to give Him our all?

Posted on August 7, 2016 • Short Link: http://bit.ly/2aenb7m

Bubble Tea and Kind Words

Author info: Michelle Luberto is a junior at Georgetown University. Her talents include all things media and design, photography, and consuming large amounts of lemons at the Tombs with Bonnie. When she's not studying abroad in France, she leads a women's Lifegroup and sings on the worship team. You can follow her on Instagram. 

Before I arrived at Georgetown, I was skeptical as to what my place on campus would be. Nearly every freshman feels that paralyzing fear at some point. The place that I now call home was big and scary and overwhelming - all I could do was hold God’s hand. 

Chi Alpha became a part of my story within days of my arrival on campus. Bubble tea and kind words (what I know now to be a staple in this community) were the vehicles that it used to work itself into my life.

Online fundraising for Reach the City - 2016

I somehow found myself attending their first service of the year (dragging my roommate along too, of course). I was excited but nervous, hoping I had found my place. Jon Rice, our former director, gave a sermon on how messy this community was… an interesting way to welcome us new freshmen in. Looking back, those words were carefully chosen, transformative, divine, even. I learned from the very start that my involvement here would not be easy, but would certainly be rewarding. I remember leaving that night and thinking I had liked it there. I liked the way they served chips and salsa and lemonade. I liked the way the leaders had red name tags and were always there, spread out, ready to meet us where we were at. I liked the way the worship band was student-led and the prayers were authentic and Jesus was present. I decided to keep coming.

“...my involvement here would not be easy, but would certainly be rewarding.”

Chi Alpha was the first organization to let me in without an agenda. The first group of people to disregard the Georgetown culture of busyness and resume-building and look at me as the daughter of God that I am. Chi Alpha is a ministry who genuinely chases after God’s heart while seeking to protect each others’ - although we often fall short.

After two years of being on campus, I now know exactly why the Lord called me to Georgetown. I am nothing without Him and these people, this community that has built me up in ways unfathomable. I am at Georgetown to set up the chips and salsa and lemonade, to wear my red name tag, to lead the worship team and to pray bold prayers with the people I love. I thank God each and every day for this ministry and His faithfulness through it and have forever been changed since that first bubble tea.

Published on July 29, 2016 • Short Link: http://bit.ly/29ZKwpE

What XA Means To Me

Author info: Alec is a rising junior at American University studying Film and Entrepreneurship. In addition to starting a YouTube channel this August, called “The Rhodes Less Traveled”, he is preparing to bike across the US next summer to raise awareness and a one million dollar goal for pediatric cancer research. You can follow Alec’s journey on Facebook, Twitter (@Eagleboiii1776), and Instagram (the_rhodes_less_traveled).

There are multiple reasons why I absolutely love AU Chi Alpha Campus Ministries but if I had to choose three main reasons they would be the following: 

 First and foremost, my relationship with Jesus Christ has grown tremendously surpassing my wildest expectations, and I realized I’m just getting started. I remember my first Thursday Night Worship (TNW) as a freshman. I sat near one of the back pews shy and uncomfortable. When everyone started to worship Jesus I saw people in front of me with hands lifted towards the sky, eyes closed, and voices shouting to the heavens. Meanwhile I’m standing with both hands in my pockets thinking everyone is possessed. Four semesters later on the last TNW of the spring semester I’m in front on the front pew raising my hands to the sky, with my eyes closed, and my voice shouting to the heavens. Moreover, my prayer life has increased tenfold. At the beginning of my sophomore year I was asked by my small group leader to pray out loud in public to a group of freshmen. Long story short, the prayer was all over the place, I was thinking too much with my mind instead of my heart, and I just simply didn’t believe I could pray with sincerity. Flash forward, by the end of the spring semester I was asked to pray for the President of AU Chi Alpha, the pastor of AU Chi Alpha, and a senior, who was probably the nicest girl I have ever met in my life. Long story short, I faced my fear, poured my heart out to them, and just simply spoke as if the Lord Himself was right before me.  

Online fundraising for Reach the City - 2016

Second, would have to be the travel opportunities that AU Chi Alpha offers, both voluntarily and involuntarily. I’m from a small country town in North Carolina and lived there for 18 years of my life so it’s easy to say that when an option of traveling is mentioned I’ll be the first one on board. During my time in AU Chi Alpha I have evangelized strangers on the Outer Banks in my home state and helped build churches in Mexico. Moreover, I have had unforeseen circumstances in which I network with someone mutually related to AU Chi Alpha telling me of phenomenal opportunities to glorify God and grow in my faith journey. Just this summer I had the privilege of attending a conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan on how to effectively address poverty with a Christ centered focus as well as intern in Selma, Alabama to help small businesses thrive and make promotional videos for them and the internship itself! 

“Each and every encounter never ceases to amaze my spirit within because all of my “Chialfriends” have a deep desire to go out of their way to help others.”

Last but not least is the unparalleled community of Christ minded students from all over the country and the world that AU Chi Alpha attracts. Each and every encounter never ceases to amaze my spirit within because all of my “Chialfriends” have a deep desire to go out of their way to help others. Whether it’s an Oregon girl keeping myself accountable to stay consistent with my devotionals and bible readings over the summer or a Malaysian guy praying for our Uber driver, each and every one of them genuinely care for my growth in Christ and strangers alike. In addition, my lifelong friends in AU Chi Alpha have never given up on me even when I gave up on them. Despite enduring the hardships of a breakup, the overwhelming stress of almost losing my financial aid a whopping three times, and struggling with depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts, my friends, my saviors, pulled me out of the darkness by shining the light of hope upon me. 

Simply put, I absolutely love AU Chi Alpha, because AU Chi Alpha absolutely loves me too! #BetterTogether

Published on July 23, 2016 • Short Link: http://bit.ly/2a147sb