Comments on the 2009 Maryland Congress



Well, I came to the conference really hoping to learn how to embrace similarity more so than diversity in this sense.  When my family moved here from Jamaica, I experienced a lot of rejection from the black students in my school as I grew to speak English differently.  They would make fun of me and the way I talked so I never really connected with anyone that was black like me.  My haven became my friends who were different.  I really enjoy diversity, but loving black people like myself has been harder even though elementary and middle school are far behind me.  I came to the conference last year and resultantly, I knew what to expect.  I began praying that God would change my heart and I feel like I experienced that through being around my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Most especially through the concert.  Hearing the different talents and hearing the music and being able to listen to it and dance and react to it without feeling judged.  I think my perceptions have changed because I am realizing really… no one is really questioning that as much as I think they are (whether or not I am black enough).  I think this will help me to be able to reach out and love my brothers and sisters who are black more freely because I hopefully wont walk into a situation defensive and with walls up.  And I feel since I feel this way, I should consider possibly serving HBCU since that might require more faith, and there is more, but I think the page can’t hold everything.  –Jenny Lee C.

I learned so much valuable information during this weekend.  Even though this was a conference where I had to work, but it was like a mini-vacation.  Met a lot of people who are humble and have fire for God.  I need to surround myself around more those types of people who can help me with my Christ likeness.  I wish it was longer, but I had a great time.  –Joshua D.

I thank God that I was able to come to the Maryland Discipleship Congress.  I loved the different tracks we were able to go through.  The thing that blessed me the most was how in the collegiate track, the main speaker emphasized transparency with those you’re discipling.  –Aja D.

This AFAM conference taught me a lot about relationships.  I’ve never asked myself, “Am I a person who is trustworthy?”  The thought was one that lingered in my mind, what can I do, or what am I doing to show people that I can be talked to.  Another part was the testimony of Beverly.  Her transparent heart and honesty with us made me realize God was amazing.  Through all this, she still had an untouchable faith. –Anonymous

The greatest thing that I learned is that my output has exceeded my input, and that I need to be in a grace community where I am being asked the “hard questions” and learning.  Another HUGE lesson was that discipleship is not about methods, equations and tools, but is about loving the person you are discipling. –Quina

I almost did not make the trip to Maryland this time around but am just delighted that I did.  It’s been a blessing to see how much God can reveal to you in just a few days.  It is just gratifying to know once more that God can use me to reach others even with all the things (junk) in my life.  –Anonymous

 

I really did love Bev’s testimony and lunchtime with Pam and the concert at Bowie.  Testimonies:  When Bahari said “If it would build up my resume, I did it,” I could totally relate.  I used to be like that and still struggle with it.  And I found Brandon’s “why do you use your imperfections as an excuse to not serve?” and “Don’t use yourself to stop Me from working through you” to be really inspiring.  When Bev said that the idea “you can only have deep relationships with Christians” isn’t true, that moved me, because I do and I thought I couldn’t.  But I can.  And Jake’s and Mike’s story is so encouraging, a definite necessity of the weekend – it addressed the issues, provided applicable information and created a beautiful picture of a partnership for Christ. –Amy C.

This conference was an absolute blessing from God.  I learned that discipleship is about love.  God pointed a lot of things out to me in this conference – mainly the absolute necessity of trusting Him.  This is what pleases my Lord… when we trust Him!  It is my prayer to hope and trust in Him more… But as I learned this comes out of knowing Him more – - I was so blessed by focusing and realizing the importance of encouraging us to step out and disciple and make our Navigators DIVERSE the way it should be! –Monica

The first thing that really affected me at the conference was the very first meeting I went to Thursday morning for all basically Anglo men and women.  I feel like this was very helpful to get in the right mindset and attitude before beginning the conference – at first I really didn’t understand how it would, but some perspectives shared at it really helped to solidify God’s calling for me to be there and to continue growing in my love and education of people who are different than me.  In the urban track we played a game to symbolize cross-cultural communication, and woah.  It was hard because it fostered some real emotions: anger, pain.  But it taught me a lot about assuming things about yourself and others and about being observant and patient.  Lastly the third most influential part of the conference was a panel time we had in the urban track where four people came up and talked about what it was like to have an Anglo man or woman disciple them and they established things that were good and things that weren’t so good.  Their points will definitely be things I keep in mind as I interact with any one who is of another culture than I, whether or not I disciple them. All together this conference was better than all other Nav conferences I’ve been to. –Jessie R.