The ongoing story of Alyssa has been mentioned before. She has been on a journey, trying to figure out what makes Christians tick. Having grown up in an atheistic Buddhist home, religion did not make sense to her. But the new found friends of CA intrigued her. She knew they cared about her, regardless of whether she was a Christian or not.
She came to Infusion last year and we saw change. It was incremental, but we confess, we were all very hopeful. When fall rolled around though, Alyssa wasn't around CA as much. Part of it, we know by her own explanation, is that she understood the cost of following Jesus. She clearly stated that she was not willing to give her life to God.
The second semester, the separation seemed to widen. She had a class during LARGE, our weekly meeting on Thursday night. As the semester grew to a close though, she would show up at the end of the meeting. I do know why. She might not admit it, but she got lots of hugs every time she showed up.
We invited Alyssa to Infusion again this year, and her answer was a clear "no." But the CA community did what it does best. They communicated how much they wanted her to be there. The day before Infusion began, Alyssa registered online and bought train tickets. The next day, she took the train from Queens to Grand Central Station, then took Amtrak from NYC to Albany.
It was evident from the start, something was different about Alyssa this time. She was having a great time, but she was also serious - very serious. I could tell just by her body language. She was focused. She was listening. She was wrestling with the truth.
On Sunday, Alyssa attended my class, "Is Jesus Really God?" During the class, she was extremely attentive. Most were exhausted from our annual hike, but not her. She was determined. She asked intelligent questions throughout as we covered the classic argument of C. S. Lewis in
Mere Christianity. Jesus was either a liar, lunatic, or Lord. Clearly, she was wrestling with the choices. After the seminar was over, I spoke to her about getting together the next day and talking to her about the material. Little did I know how much of a mission she was on.
That night, after our evening worship, Alyssa grabbed one of our other students, Andre, and peppered him with questions for three hours. Every objection she could come up with, Andre handled deftly and graciously (he told me later that he was a nervous wreck the whole time, and thought he had really messed things up).
The next day, Alyssa came to me and said, "Let's talk now!" As we began to talk, I told her about the time I first encountered Lewis' argument and how I kept looking for the loophole. I thought it was too easy, that something had to be missing. Not to my surprise, she said, "Me too!"
Alyssa then told me about her conversation with Andre the evening before (of which, until that moment, I was unaware). She said that she kept asking questions, and Andre kept giving credible answers. "In the end," she said, "I got it."
"Got it?" I questioned. "What do you mean?"
"I am a Christian."
There was this moment of silence, because I was stunned into speechlessness at hearing this statement (this is no small feat!). She then told me how at the end of the questions with Andre, she had decided to become a Christian and how Andre had led her in prayer.
Having regained my composure, I asked her, "What does this change?"
"This changes everything. This changes my view on everything."
I don't think I will ever be able to describe the joy of that moment. Alyssa had come home. Two years of conversations, texts, hugs, meetings over lunch, emails, and genuine compassion of her needs - communicated by CA staff and friends - had borne eternal fruit.
And my smiling continued, for a young man that my partner Tim and I have mentored was the one that had the privilege of being there that moment she received Christ.
It was a day to dance.
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
I Thessalonians 2.19-20, NIV
