Cindy arrived in the US in 2019 to pursue her PhD in Material Science and Engineering. At that time she had no suspicion of the struggle that lay ahead. “2020 was a very hard time for me,” Cindy says, explaining how she was plagued by roommate conflicts, anxiety from the news, depression, and fear of rejection if she asked anyone for help.
Cindy knew God when she came to the States, having heard about Him from some professors at her university in China. God convinced her of His presence by healing her insomnia at that time. However, as she experienced many struggles during lockdown in the US, she started to doubt her trust in God.
Eventually, Cindy reached out to IFI for help, but she gained much more than she expected. “God used my friendships through IFI to remind me of His presence,” she recalls. “They helped me with openness and generosity that I never expected.”
“They helped me with openness and generosity that I never expected.”
Looking back on the darkness of last year, Cindy now asks herself if she had the choice to erase the unpleasant experiences of last year, would she do it? “The answer is no. I learned many things that I didn’t know, and I discarded many idols rooted in my mind that I hadn’t identified before. It is just like a kid learning how to swim with his or her father. It feels like you are drowning, but you have to overcome it if you want to swim. However, you will be fine, because your father is protecting you all the time. I know, my heavenly father wants me to learn how to swim in this world with peace and confidence in Him.”
*Name and Photo changed