In Pakistan, I was blessed by warm-hearted hospitality and extreme generosity. I was shown grace in moments when I unwittingly broke cultural norms and was met with understanding in my feeble attempts to speak the language. My taste-buds were satisfied by the offerings of gifted culinary artists, and my ears delighted in the sounds of tabla and harmonium. I attended all-night musical programs under the stars, learned to dance at tribal weddings, and established deep and lasting friendships. In my mind, Pakistan ranks as one of the most interesting places on Earth. It is a nation of contradictions and extremes, often misrepresented by international media which tends to focus only on its problems. It is a place where camels and Suzukis vie for road space, and ancient rituals take their place alongside televisions and cellphones. Snow-capped mountains in the north stand juxtaposed against the fertile plains and arid deserts of the south. Religious extremists and progressive feminists compete to be heard in the halls of Parliament, while the call to prayer, heard five-times daily, brings order and regularity to an otherwise relaxed existence.
Student Spotlight: Rey Miranda Rey Miranda, a 2012 graduate in Business, Leadership & Management, was one of the first players on the new men’s soccer team and served the past year as Associated Student Body Vice President. In May, he was selected by President John Reed for the Promising Leader Award, given to a graduating senior who exemplifies the college’s mission and demonstrates potential for future leadership and service. Advance: What did you appreciate about Trinity’s focus on service as part of your overall education? RM: I believe it helped me grow as a human being and as a Christian. My goal was to come to Trinity, get my degree, and play soccer. As I began doing service learning projects, I learned the true value of service. The experience at Trinity surpassed my expectations because of the service learning program. Advance: Which service learning experience was most meaningful to you? What made it so?
Pakistan brought me to life in a whole new way, and my time there confirmed to me that the vocation I am pursuing is the right one. When you learn a new musical language, you become a part of the culture that invented it in a way that would be impossible otherwise. I have experienced this and know for certain that this is my vocation—to build bridges through song. I am thankful for everything I learned in Pakistan and for Trinity’s flexibility in allowing me to do my internship overseas. The things I learned there will stick with me for a lifetime. What’s next? This fall, I will begin a Master of Arts in Ethnomusicology through Liberty University, and in years to come I will be seeking work in an overseas context. As a recent Trinity graduate, I am excited to join the ranks of the many other alumni of this school who are serving God in various capacities around the world. And, finally, I ask you to pray for me as I continue to seek God’s leading. For more information about the Music program, visit www.tlc.edu/music.
RM: The one project that had a great impact on me was the Thanksgiving food drive organized by players on the soccer team my first year. We went out and collected hundreds of pounds of food that people had donated. What made this experience meaningful was actually going to deliver food to those needy families. That is where the reward came. People were so thankful for those boxes of food for their Thanksgiving dinner. I remember one family in particular: a single mother with a child of about 12 years. The mother was sick and could barely afford to pay her bills. The child was so happy to receive these boxes of food that he even jumped up and down a couple of times. I could really see how much they both appreciated this gift. Advance: What lasting impact do you think these experiences will have on your life? RM: My parents have always taught me about helping others with their words and have always been a great example to follow. My experience at Trinity has connected my parent’s teachings with the mission of God and the Church—and (in a way) has “tied a bow” on this aspect of my life. Now that I realize how important it is to serve and why, I’m on a new adventure to find what I can do to serve others with all of my gifts and put it all to work.
ADVANCE |
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