Dr. Bob

This past spring semester, I got the opportunity to be a part of something really special. My friend Dean Eckhoff invited me to be a part of a bible study that Dr. Bob and Mary Taussig were hosting at their house. I had not only never met Dr. Bob, but (somehow), I had never even heard of him. Looking back, I now know how incredible it was to have been invited to help Dr. Bob with a bible study class for international students this past semester. This class answered prayers I had never even prayed yet.

Every Saturday night at 6PM, we met in the Taussig's house and Dr. Bob taught about one lesson a night from the beginning of the Bible to the Gospels. Some students unfortunately came and went, but in the picture right above, we have Justin (who was a helper like me), Dr. Chen, Lili (Dr. Chen's wife), Wei, Dr. Bob, Mary, Cunli (pronounced Choon-ley), Bonnie or Bao, and Dean, a spiritual mentor of mine. I took the picture itself. At one point in the semester, we had about 9 or 10, but we were all thankful just to have each of them in our study.

I knew this bible study was something really special at the time, because internationals on a college campus, whether undergraduate or doctors, are at best ignored and often actually hated and ridiculed. This class was a great way to meet really awesome people and invite them into an American home.

With hindsight of 20/20, now I know that this class was easily the most important thing I got involved with last year. I probably won't have a future ahead of me as a missionary or as a translator of the gospel to non-Americans or anything like that, but there's no reason I can't reach out while I'm still surrounded by international students in college.

Even the reason of getting more experience reaching out to people very much unlike me pales in comparison to the man I got to know really well this past school year. Dr. Bob was not only a legendary Christian, but probably the MOST respected Christian in the community of Manhattan AT LEAST. His legacy overcasts Stumo and the Navigators on campus--he was truly a living legend. And, I got to know him really well right before he went home.

Dr. Bob died Tuesday. His life and death are an absolute triumph and he is now home with his best friend Jesus. I was tempted to be very sad at his death since I was eagerly looking forward to getting to hear many more of his incredible stories next semester. But instead of being sad, I am just so thankful I got to know him at all and hear his Christian story. Dr. Bob has shaped me in ways I don't even know yet but I am really looking forward to living a life like him, laboring each and everyday for his best friend.