Southwestern students get a ‘taste of the nations’ during Global Missions Week

The World Missions Center and Office of International Students Services at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary held the “Taste of the Nations” event Sept. 6, which featured food from the native countries of four different international student fellowships, a missionary panel, and a crowd of over 200 people.

“We are thankful to God for this evening, what it represents, and the significance of this time together,” said David S. Dockery, president of Southwestern Seminary, to the gathered crowd of students and International Mission Board missionary guests on campus for the week. “Southwestern Seminary exists to take the Gospel to the nations and God has brought the nations to Southwestern so we can go back to the nations.”

The event is an opportunity to serve international students and expose students to international cuisines and was held during Global Missions Week. There were around 150 registered attendees, but that number was surpassed before the first hour was completed. Before the end of the night, the food, plates, and utensils were all gone, and more tables and chairs were brought into the event hall to make more space for the attendees.

“This is a ministry to our international students as it gives them an opportunity to share part of their culture with other students,” said Ian Buntain, associate professor of missions and director of the World Missions Center at Southwestern Seminary.

Ian Buntain, associate professor of missions and director of the World Missions Center at Southwestern Seminary, said the “Taste of the Nations” event allowed the opportunity to showcase the multi-cultural aspect of missions one can expect while serving in a different country.

The international student fellowships that provided food for the event were the Chinese Student Fellowship, the African Student Fellowship, the Brazilian Student Fellowship, and the Indian Student Fellowship. There was also a table of American food provided for those in attendance.

One driving force behind hosting this event during Global Missions Week for Buntain was the idea of showcasing the multi-cultural aspect of missions one can expect while serving in a different country.

Buntain noted that Southern Baptists have become far more multi-cultural since his early days at the IMB. Today, IMB missionary teams include many different nationalities.

During the event, attendees were able to try food from several different countries that they may never have tried before. For Bradford Russ, a Master of Divinity student from Greenwood, South Carolina, trying as many as possible was the way to go.

“The best thing I had was the pork rib from Madagascar,” said Russ. “One of the best things I had was not even food, but it was soda from Brazil that tasted something like cherry ginger ale. It was really good.”

Russ said that he tried dumplings and Kung Pao chicken from China, stew and soda from Brazil, pork rib from Madagascar, and beef brisket and macaroni and cheese from the United States.

The food from Madagascar was also the choice for another student, John Smith*, a Master of Divinity student with a concentration in international church planting.

“I was able to try this vegetable bread and some sweet bread from Madagascar,” said Smith. “The vegetable bread was different, but everything else I tried was really good. It was definitely a different taste than I am used to.”

More than 200 attendees enjoyed food provided by four different student fellowships at Southwestern Seminary, including the Chinese Student Fellowship, the African Student Fellowship, the Brazilian Student Fellowship, and the Indian Student Fellowship.

Following dinner, a panel featuring IMB missionaries was held to let students know about the importance of national partners on the mission field.

The panel was made up of three IMB missionaries, including one missionary who serves in Sub-Saharan Africa, and a married couple who ministers in Germany. They shared personal stories of different times when local people on the field were able to help them spread the Gospel throughout their countries. The emphasis was to let international students know that even if they cannot remain in the United States, or serve internationally because of visa issues, they can still help further the Gospel through their own efforts and through helping missionaries in their native countries.

Christian Betts, director of International Student Services at Southwestern Seminary, concluded the event with a name drawing for different prizes as well as thanking God for the event itself.

“God has worked so marvelously to bring together all of us to this place at this time,” said Betts. “Before leaving tonight, ask the Lord, ‘Where are you sending me?’ and be willing to go.”

Global Missions Week continues on Southwestern Seminary’s campus with several events designed to inform students of the needs, work, and life of an international missionary.

*Names changed for security reasons