Loving Students

Last updated on: April 28, 2011 at 12:03 pm by Kathy Tuan-MacLean

Loving Students 2011-04-28T12:03:00-04:00 Kathy Tuan-MacLean

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Several years ago I thought of leaving campus ministry to take a church job. When I told my kids they literally began weeping and wailing, “No! Don’t do that! We like InterVarsity! We love students!”

I didn’t leave InterVarsity, but I did leave direct grad student ministry to direct our team and work with faculty. My kids are less enthusiastic about both aspects of my new job.

As Ling said recently, “What’s great about hanging out with a bunch of 40 year olds?”

“You really miss students, don’t you?”

“Well yeah! We used to have barbeques every week and they’d play with us. It was even fun after I turned 7 and you said I couldn’t jump on them any more.”

Last night, 2 former students came over for dinner and it reminded me of the gift it was for my kids to grow up with kind Harvard grad students surrounding them.

Danny, who now serves at our church with 2 kids of his own, and Nick who just ran for Parliament in the UK, got to watch me change 4 month old Ling’s exploding poop diaper while I led our first Mark Bible study at the Kennedy School.

I can still picture Paul, now a research scientist in Berkeley, sitting against the wall with 3 month old Kai-Kai in his lap, gently and repeatedly stroking her curly black hair.

We hosted apple pie baking parties and pool parties and multiple dinners. Through it all, my kids provided entertainment for students, and students who loved on my kids helped me get my job done. To my kids, Harvard grad students’ sole reason for existence was to be playmate and friend. And that identity was actually really good for the students!

Lily got to know the kids last summer when we were all in China together, and she stayed in Beijing to study. Home on a visit, she wanted to see the kids so she and her fiancé came over for dinner. She asked questions about high school and middle school and appreciated Kai’s deviled eggs. They reminisced together about the summer. The kids were even somewhat cooperative about cleaning up from dinner because they wanted to look good for Lily.

I work in student and faculty ministry because I think the university is one of the most strategic places to invest my energies. The students and faculty we work with will shape our future in every aspect of life—education, technology, business, medicine, academia and more.

But the best perk has been loving and being loved by students.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 27, 2011

I'm Torturing my Kids

Next Post

April 29, 2011 Death, Dyeing and the possibility of becoming a Skunk Head

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month January 2015 November 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 October 2010 May 2010 April 2010 February 2010 January 2010 October 2009 September 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What structure did people build to try to reach heaven?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Temple of Solomon Altar of Baal Tower of Babel Ark