My
father, Douglas Drevets, graduated from Wheaton College. His freshman year
of college he reconnected with an old friend from middle school summer camp, Seth Barnes. They quickly became fast
friends.
During their stay
on campus, along with a motley crew of companions, they staged a noble and
prolonged effort to liven the other students’ quality of life with colorful
antics such as disrupting chapel, covering toilet seats with plastic wrap (my
dad’s idea), and engaging in other acts of public menace. They eventually
graduated, were employed at various places, and stayed good friends.
on campus, along with a motley crew of companions, they staged a noble and
prolonged effort to liven the other students’ quality of life with colorful
antics such as disrupting chapel, covering toilet seats with plastic wrap (my
dad’s idea), and engaging in other acts of public menace. They eventually
graduated, were employed at various places, and stayed good friends.
Fastforward 30-ish years. I, Emily Drevets and one of the 3 daughters of Douglas
Drevets, am attending Boston University majoring in International Relations
with a focus on the Middle East. All of
those things were chosen at close-to-random, but God
always has a purpose and a plan. Last semester I was studying in Morocco and
trying to find something worthwhile to fill my summer with as opposed to the
previous summer which I spent babysitting and playing Halo.
At random, I
contacted Seth Barnes to see if he had any internship opportunities. He did
indeed. There was a book that needed working on. And so I came to Georgia.
contacted Seth Barnes to see if he had any internship opportunities. He did
indeed. There was a book that needed working on. And so I came to Georgia.
Before
my summer with AIM, I had a bit of healthy skepticism about how a Christian
missions organization would actually look and be run. I expected to find
a hotbed of strife, self-righteousness, slander, and debauchery. Instead, there
were genuine people who loved Jesus and wanted to serve Him. As I worked on the book project and talked to people associated with AIM, I
realized how sincere the organization is from top to bottom and how much they
believe in the sanctity and importance of their mission.
my summer with AIM, I had a bit of healthy skepticism about how a Christian
missions organization would actually look and be run. I expected to find
a hotbed of strife, self-righteousness, slander, and debauchery. Instead, there
were genuine people who loved Jesus and wanted to serve Him. As I worked on the book project and talked to people associated with AIM, I
realized how sincere the organization is from top to bottom and how much they
believe in the sanctity and importance of their mission.
Most
importantly, I grew closer to God while I was here, and not solely because I
was surrounded by Christian people, in Christian buildings, in a semi-Christian
state, but because I took the time to meet with Him every day and put him
first.
importantly, I grew closer to God while I was here, and not solely because I
was surrounded by Christian people, in Christian buildings, in a semi-Christian
state, but because I took the time to meet with Him every day and put him
first.
I have realized the truth of statements that I’ve recited my entire
life: “God is good.” “God draws close to those who draw close to Him.”
This
has been kind of a mountain-top experience for me when I didn’t expect one, and
so as I look to the next semester and beyond I pray that I will take these
insights and live them out, and that I would continue to trust God to lead me
as he has so faithfully done for the past 21 years.
life: “God is good.” “God draws close to those who draw close to Him.”
This
has been kind of a mountain-top experience for me when I didn’t expect one, and
so as I look to the next semester and beyond I pray that I will take these
insights and live them out, and that I would continue to trust God to lead me
as he has so faithfully done for the past 21 years.
All
in all, it has been an amazing summer, blessed with new friendships, a new
family, and a fresh outlook on life and the Christian walk. My experiences here
will continue to affect me long after I leave and I look forward to the rest of
my life with a hope and enthusiasm I had forgotten.
in all, it has been an amazing summer, blessed with new friendships, a new
family, and a fresh outlook on life and the Christian walk. My experiences here
will continue to affect me long after I leave and I look forward to the rest of
my life with a hope and enthusiasm I had forgotten.
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