More than 100 students filled the Van Dyne Gymnasium Jan. 17 at California Baptist University for a night of worship and community.
Campus Nite, an event that occurs twice a semester, is a collaboration between the offices of Spiritual Life and Community Life that brings together students. Previous guests include Bob Go , Lecrae and Grayson Boucher, who shared their testimonies with CBU students.
This Campus Nite featured author and activist Danielle Strickland.
“We invited Danielle because she’s a strong activist and really raises awareness of human trafficking,” said Jacob Ravenscraft, director of University Ministries. “We want students to care about things that are happening, whether it’s within their community or outside of their comfort zone.”
Strickland gave an impactful speech that reminded students that, despite how the world and their own minds try to make it seem, children of God are still good.
“My son’s name is Moses, and every night when I’m tucking him in, I ask him, ‘Who made you?’ and he says ‘God made me,’” Strickland said. “And then I ask my son, ‘And how did God make you?’ and he smiles and says, ‘He made me good.’ That’s something that we need to remember. God made us good.”
During the event, Strickland also told a story about a wedding that took place in an alley in Vancouver. Many in the community who su er through
the struggles of homelessness appeared for the wedding. The couple wanted to share God’s goodness and compassion with their local community.
Strickland wanted to emphasize that Christians can use any occasion to bring attention to God.
Priscilla Santos, the Territorial Anti-Trafficking Initiatives coordinator for Salvation Army, also spoke at the event.
Santos’ message was to step out of one’s comfort zone be- cause God wants to use people.
“There’s a song that talks about how God is above the clouds, watching over us in our times of need,” Santos said. “But that isn’t true – he is right next to us. That is what we need to be to victims of human trafficking. We need to be standing next to them and encouraging them to step outside of their circumstance.”
Santos said the reality of human trafficking is that it impacts the marginalized most.
“It happens to those around us, we just don’t realize it,” Santos said. “The best thing you can do is educate yourself. Expand your social circle to include those who don’t look like you. Add diversity to your friends.”
Natalie Codding, sophomore graphic design major, said she was pleased Campus Nite covered something related to social justice.
“Tonight was really informative on the issues going on, including human trafficking,” Codding said. “It also really in- spired me to step out and pursue things that really matter. These issues are things that should matter to students.”
The next Campus Nite is scheduled for March 7 at 7 p.m.
