w ISSUE SEVENTY-THREE WORD ON THE STREET MAGAZINE (WOTS) is a campus publication released four times per year that has been around for 17 years. WOTS is written, laid out, and printed by members of Street Level Ministries at three universities in the United States and in Cebu City, Philippines. We’re Christians who love Jesus and want to write about life, God, and college. The Philippines WOTS crew can be found throughout Cebu City… we’re often writing at our office, doing a Bible study at a local cafe, or handing out magazines at universities. [email protected] Email [email protected] for details on how you can get involved. We hope the magazine is funny, challenging, and provocative, while encouraging you to pursue a strong relationship with Jesus. WORD ON THE STREET MAGAZINE PHILIPPINES SUPERIOR CEBU CITY WISCONSIN PHILIPPINES MENOMONIE WISCONSIN CREATE YOUR OWN PATH BE A PATHFINDER TODAY: USC STUDENT ORG ONE GUY’S TRUE STORY STUDENT TESTIMONY BLINDED BY LOVE: LOVING THE UNSEEN KITA KITA MOVIE REVIEW TOUR THE WORLD WITHOUT LEAVING CEBU 7 GLOBAL CUISINES IN CEBU LIVING ON MISSION IN AMSTERDAM INTERVIEW WITH ANNEMIEKE ROERING EUROPEAN MISSIONS WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN CLIMATE LIKE IN EUROPE? DON’T FOLLOW YOUR HEART BOOK REVIEW LIFE ON MISSION 7 TIPS FOR SHARING YOUR FAITH IN COLLEGE IDENTITY SPOKEN WORD LYRICS A.W. TOZER PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD DEAR LAURA HOW DID WE GET HERE? NEW PLAN, WHAT PLAN? BIBLE READING PLAN FOR THE NEW YEAR IN AN UPSIDEDOWN WORLD USC Pathways is a student volunteer group that makes it their mission to promote education as a tool in uplifting youth to reach their dreams. Its members are called Pathfinders because they aim to help show others a path to success. Cebu is one of the regions in which this program is tackling the barriers faced by academically- gifted but financially underprivileged youth who are seeking a college education. “It opened doors for me which I never expected, doors within myself, within others, and within the community we thought we knew since we were born.” – Meryll A. (BS Electrical Engineering 3) Pathways' purpose is not only to provide financial support to these participants but also to assist them with the major difficulties that they face in their pursuit of a college education. These difficulties include things like lack of academic preparation for college, insufficient family income, lack of self-esteem, and lack of educational resources. To address these issues, Pathways provides access to education by offering seminars and serving opportunities. "I believe that volunteering in Pathways is like travelling on a road less taken. Many would start to join the ride but only a few are left to continue the journey. Aside from the advocacy, seeing the people that believe in it gives me the drive to continue serving." -Kristal K. (BS Computer Engineering 3) In Pathways, there are many students who volunteer the majority of their time to planning for educational activities from the elementary to senior high level. Giving out free education and opportunities gives the participants the chance to act out of servitude and generosity. Joining Pathways changed my life, although it was not easy at first as I am not from USC. As time flew, this organization slowly brought out the best of my abilities as a college student, and it also gave me a different perspective on life. Joining this is easily one of the greatest decisions I've ever made, and I am eternally grateful for what it has done not only to its project beneficiaries, but also to myself. – James V. (BS in Aircraft Maintenance Technology 4) USC Pathways opens its doors to new members every start of the semester with a membership orientation where they talk about their past events and how the events changed them. They don’t require your full attendance to every meeting or event, but if you want to participate in them, it is advised to try and attend the meetings every week to know about the details of the event. If you or anyone you know is interested in joining, there is a page on Facebook called USC – Pathways where you can openly voice out your request to join and be a part of the organization. Since it only accepts new members at the start of every year, you will have to wait until the start of the next year to join. You are welcome to leave your contact info if you are really interested in joining. Pathways will always be open to students who have the heart to serve. True Story grew up not going to church at all except on Easter and Christmas. I had known about Jesus, and my parents had The Holy Spirit had talked about Him occasionally, but that was it. No one in I our household really had a relationship with God. When I opened my spiritually would go to church, I didn’t feel anything and it was like I was just going through the motions. dead eyes and my heart When I was in middle school and early high school, my life of stone to see the showed no acknowledgment of God. I was into things like swearing and pornography and I wasn’t honoring God with wondrous anything in my life. When I was in my second year in high school, one of my teachers invited my brother and our family to his church in a nearby town. It was there that I had first work of God heard the gospel message of God coming down as a man, living a perfect God-honoring life, and dying on the cross, Almighty. bearing the sins of the world so that we can be legally right in God’s eyes, those who trust in Jesus. When I had heard this, I felt very convicted of my lifestyle and this was when I got saved and the Holy Spirit had opened my spiritually dead eyes -Mike and my heart of stone to see the wondrous work of God Almighty. But my first two years of college, I never got plugged into a body of believers to help grow and strengthen my faith. on Jesus gives me so much joy knowing I am in the hands of The summer after my freshman year of college, my brother, the Creator of the world, and that He can certainly handle Mitch, had really been pressing on me to sign up for this camp ANYTHING that deeply troubles me! for Christian athletes through an organization called Athletes in Action. I really did not want to go but my brother kept This past summer I was feeling very convicted to get trying and eventually I signed up. The camp was called “The connected to a local church because I had not done that my Ultimate Training Camp” and was directed around how to first two years of college. I came across Jesus Fellowship of glorify God through our sports and how to really play/run for Believers Church and have been greatly blessed by everyone Him. At this camp, I met so many other Christian athletes there. It is amazing how God has lead me to this group of from around the country and it was so comforting knowing people and how far He has brought me in my walk with Him. that others went through the same struggles I do. It was at Since then, God has still been pursuing me and showing me this camp where I realized what my sins were doing to me many areas in my life that are not fully surrendered to Him. It and, more importantly, how God viewed my sins. Being in a has been an uncomfortable process, but just trusting Him is Christian community at that camp really made me long for something like that in my life permanently. the most important thing. After graduation, I would like to stay in the Menomonie (USA) area and keep serving God Since that camp, my life has not been the same. I have through Jesus Fellowship of Believers Church and Street Level directed my path to reading Scripture daily, having a richer Ministries. prayer life, and following the path directed for me by the Holy Spirit. Being in constant communication with and meditating Kita Kita ("I See You") restores our sight to the truth. His love heals us, make is a briskly-plotted, us whole and give us hope because God's love is the refreshingly light, bond of perfection. delightful, whimsical and bittersweet You may be hopeless and brokenhearted today, movie featuring the searching for that one true love just like the unlikely pairing of Alessandra de Rossi known as Lea, a characters in the Kita-Kita movie. Just stop, be still, Filipina tourist guide living and working in Sapporo, Japan, and and give Him a chance to speak to you. God sees you Empoy Marquez as Tonyo, a homely but funny Filipino guy. in your pain and He will reveal Himself not in a Unfortunately, Lea discovers that her Japanese boyfriend has fleeting way, but with His sweet presence He will let been cheating on her, and she suddenly loses her vision and you know and make you understand that He loves becomes blind. Tonyo ends up wooing desolate Lea with you more deeply than any human could ever offer. persistence and home-cooked meals, and when they finally connect, they become friends and develop a romantic Spoiler alert: the Kita-Kita movie ends in a character's relationship. When she finally perceives that she is in love with death, but God's story of love for you did not remain Tonyo, she regains her vision.