Cultural conversation at ISC Asian open house

The students at Liberty represent cultures from not only all over the country but all over the world. People from all walks of life gather together to learn, study and become Champions for Christ.
On Wednesday, Feb. 15, the International Student Center hosted the annual Asian Open House event where Asian students enjoyed learning from each other. 

“I heard about the event through CASAS, and I come from an Asian background, so I wanted to see and experience Asian culture,” Mai Marjenhoff, a senior, said. 

Various countries’ flags adorned the walls, and music filled the air. Vibrant paper parasols in all the colors of the rainbow decorated the tables. Students played games and shared food and drinks.

“I come here just so I can share with others and bring joy to people and bring wisdom about the world. I was born and raised in Vietnam, so being able to represent and spread the words of my country fill me with pride and joy,” Nhien Tang, a freshman from Vietnam, explained. 

Tang brought a board game to the event called Saigon O. This game aims to foster conversation beyond surface level. It represents Vietnamese culture that emphasizes deep conversations with others. 

“I brought this game because it is conversational and shares the collective nature of the culture of Vietnam. We care about others and want them to feel that through creating genuine conversation with them,” Tang said. 

Among the food, a rice kheer dish dazzled the students. This traditional dish is like a rice pudding similar to tapioca, and it contains spices like cardamom and cinnamon. 

“The kheer was eaten within the first 10 minutes of the event,” Associate Pastor Joshua Burch of New Wine Church said. “Everyone loved it.” 

New Wine Church started out as a local house church in the Lynchburg area. The church has seen countless Liberty students come through its doors through the years.  Burch’s wife, Bibiana, comes from India and was connected to the Asian Open House event through Liberty students at their church.

At their table, Burch and Bibiana also served traditional Indian snacks, closely related to trail mix. The first was a mixture of lentils and rice while the other mixture consisted of lentils, rice, cashew nuts and peanuts. 

“Since we were first connected to the event through the students, we thought it would be good to bless the students (by sharing) about the culture of India,” Burch said.

Both Burch and Bibiana have been able to witness many students as they start their journey with the Lord. The two have seen the Lord’s faithfulness in these students lives as they have graduated from Liberty, started in their career field, married and started families of their own. 

To stay updated on upcoming ISC events, visit the CASAS website. 

Ferree is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion