International Graduate Student Ministry – Gracepoint Berkeley

It would be an understatement to say that we had fun on this LA trip to finish out the year. It was one of the most memorable trip for me because I got to have so much fun with the IGSM members in LA for three days. Some of us drove down to LA from the Bay Area on December 25th. We stayed at our members’ parents’ houses, which reduced the cost as well as allowed us spend more time together.

We went to Disneyland on the 26th and spent a whole day there. Disneyland was indeed the magic kingdom, in which we got to get on rides and watched various shows. Here is a clip of a few of us taking the ride called “Big Thunder.”

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After yesterday’s home church service, the two International Graduate Student Ministry (IGSM) home churches gathered to play volleyball at the Godfrey Park in Alameda. The weather was beautiful once again, and we all had a fun and intense game of volleyball. This is indeed a team sport with a lot of talking, taunting and cheering…very good for community building.

Next week, we are going to have BBQ and soccer to celebrate the end of the summer home church as well as to welcome the new Berkeley international graduate students that we met through airport pickups and home dinners. If you are a new graduate student, please feel free to come join us.

Yesterday, a bunch of the International Graduate Student Ministry brothers helped four brothers among us to move into a new apartment in Berkeley. This apartment is in the same building as Grad Haven. You may not have known about Grad Haven, but it is currently the Berkeley home of six of the IGSM brothers. Most of them are graduate students, except one who recently graduated from his Master’s program. They hope to make this place a haven for other incoming graduate students, hence the name, Grad Haven. Following their steps, four other IGSM brothers found another apartment in the same building and established Grad Haven #2 (for lack of a better name at this point).

I am so excited about our Grad Haven apartments. First, I see that God creates a community among our graduate students (and some non-graduate students), bring their relationship closers. They are not just sharing a place, which some graduate students do to save costs, but they are sharing their lives. Second, I see that God could really use their places to provide a haven to the incoming students. Graduate school is difficult, and sometimes, very lonely. Yet, these brothers want to show other graduate students that they don’t have to do it all alone. Third, I foresee that I will hear many good stories coming out of Grad Havens as these brothers rub lives with one another. I will be sure to update you with the best ones in the future.

Congratulations and go Grad Havens!

What do you say would be the best way to end the week for graduate students? How about listening a thoughtful message that helps you see the reality of life more clearly, followed by a time of wonderful praise and moving testimonies, and ending the night with a fun fellowship time over ice-cream or pastries? Well, that’s what we experienced this past Friday at Gracepoint Fellowship Church. We listened to Pastor Ed’s Truth Hater Part IV message series, worshipped and praised God with the Ei8ht Hour Shift band, and the ISM brothers fellowshipped over Fenton’s ice cream and the sisters over Strada’s pastries.

Not only did the guys have good time cooking together, the girls also had a great time preparing their food for the dessert and appetizer night two weeks ago. Siao Charn shares:

The girls had lots of fun making desserts and appetizers for the International Food Festival too! Helen, Jade, Jenny, and Sherry got together at my place on Friday and we made stuffed mushrooms (country of origin to be determined) and red bean rice cake (country of origin: China). It was our first time trying out the recipes and they turned out to be very well received by the crowd. Honestly, I was surprised! All in all, I had much fun with the food preparation and I’m certainly looking forward to the next occasion we get to cook together.

I look forward to the next cooking event as well. If you missed it last time, be sure that you make it to the next one.

In preparation for our food festival this past Friday, several men of ISM gathered at Howard’s place to make fruit tart/pie/pudding-depending on how you describe it-and Greek Salad. Through the preparation, I discovered that Yen can cook and, to complete the rhyme, men can cook as well. Though our dishes were under-appreciated according to the popular poll on the night of the food festival, I am still very grateful to God that no one got sick from eating our food. If you didn’t get to try our food, I am sorry, but you really missed out.