Gordon’s first Bolivian student, Naarita ArnoldAvila, is thrilled to be here. “I’m glad that God opened doors,” she said. ArnoldAvila grew up near the city of Tarija with her extended family, all Pentecostal Christians. She came to America to make her faith real and personal by leaving that comfort zone.“When you’re listening all the time to faith, it’s hard to know what it is,” said ArnoldAvila. She has already learned a lot from students of other denominations and looks forward to learning more.
When ArnoldAvila got on the plane to come here, it was her first time leaving Bolivia and she didn’t know what to expect. She said the people here have shown genuine interest and concern for her. It has been like home, where her family often gathered to pray, celebrate, or fellowship through activities like camping.
Pop culture has been the greatest barrier. “I don’t know about music or about shows,” she said. “Some things that they talk about I don’t understand.” As a community, let us recognize that many students on campus are in the same boat and love them by letting them in on the secret.
Hell Yeah!! Show them the ropes!
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