Growth and Learning for the Sake of our Neighbor

Growth and Learning for the Sake of our Neighbor

Camila Moreno ’19 is an economics and international relations major from Bogotá, Colombia. In this #MyWheaton blog post, Camila reflects on being a senior at Wheaton and how the last four years have prepared her for the future.

It’s hard to sum up the last 4 years of my time at Wheaton in just one blog post. But as I look back, one common thread is this: God is working powerfully at Wheaton College.

From a classroom in the MSC to a dorm in McEvans to Goldstar Chapel, there is plenty of evidence of God’s hand at work. He’s active on our campus, and what a joy it is to look back at how he has worked in my life during my time here.

 

As I walk down memory lane, I’m grateful for so much. I’m thankful for many of the classes I have taken. There’s so much going on at Wheaton all the time that it is easy to forget we’re students. Yet it is a huge privilege to be students at an institution like this one. We are taught by professors who not only are incredibly knowledgeable but also care for every single student deeply. We get to hear lectures that transform the way we think. We get to read books that illuminate our understanding in a new way.

During my time at Wheaton, I have been intellectually and theologically challenged, and there is truly no other place where I would want to wrestle with the big questions. The walls of my understanding about God and the world have been shattered many times as I have encountered new perspectives and have been challenged to think deeply about the questions that matter. Yet it has been in the process of rebuilding them and seeking to understand that I have learned what faithfulness is. From learning about the beauty of God’s covenant with his people in Dr. Richter’s Old Testament class to being reminded of the importance of economic growth in Dr. Long’s Wealth & Poverty of Nations class, I have learned to cherish the privilege of being a student.

Yet the beauty of being at Wheaton is not only in the intellectual growth, but it is also the spiritual transformation we experience. God has used people, events, and chapel messages to guide me during my time here. All-School Communion definitely stands out as a medium God has used to bring me near him. Every single time, whether in times of spiritual drought, joy, or desperate need, gathering to partake in the Lord’s Supper has always sufficed. Having that monthly reminder that I am welcome at the table, in spite of my sin, in spite of my imperfect faith, in spite of my brokenness, was the fuel I needed to carry on. Gathering with hundreds of other students to rejoice in our salvation and praise him who accomplished it…wow! What a privilege.

 

There’s something special about Wheaton, and it comes down to the people. As students, we roll our eyes every time we hear the words “intentional community” because of how often they’re used. But, as I think about some of the things I’m so grateful for at Wheaton, the community here is at the top of the list. We often take for granted the number of people we have around us who are constantly investing in us. I am incredibly grateful for my roommates who pray for me every Monday night during our house prayer. I am thankful for professors who will meet with me and give me advice. I’m grateful for staff members who care for me in multiple ways. I’m thankful for a local church that has been essential to my spiritual growth. We think this is normal, yet it is a sweet gift from the Lord.

Yet Wheaton’s value goes beyond our four years here as students. Wheaton is also a place that prepares us for the next steps. I love talking to alumni because I get to hear about the exciting things they are doing post-grad, and that gets me excited about the different ways that God is going to use me and my classmates once we graduate. Through different chapel messages, we have been convicted of our call to seek justice and reconciliation. Through different student leadership positions, we have grown in our leadership skills. Through different classes, we have learned to think analytically. All of these experiences at Wheaton have equipped us for what’s next. Let’s use what we learned at Wheaton to go to the places of brokenness and act as Jesus did: let us love self-sacrificially, let us use our Biblical formation to disciple others, and let us use our skills and talents for the sake of our neighbor.