Editor's Note: The author, pen name: Toward-the-light, is a regular contributor to GospelTimes, who started her theological study in the Westminster Seminary this September. She'll write her experience of study, life and faith in the US.
I was shocked at the small-sized campus, the first time I stepped in Westminster.
Before came to the US, I once visited a theological seminary in China. What I have learned was that seminary is smaller and scale-limited, comparing with a general university. To my big surprise, Westminster is even smaller than middle school or primary school I have seen in China.
The whole campus consists of the following parts: a one-floor main building including three classrooms and a chapel, small but well-equipped. All classrooms are equipped with multimedia devices. Carpeted floor everywhere in the classroom, convenient for students to take a test. The whole campus is covered by free WIFI.
The four-floor library is beside the main teaching building, owning a total area larger than the whole campus, seeming more important than the latter. With an impression that libraries of inland universities are always smaller that the teaching buildings, what I’ve seen here might reflect the basic academic style of the US universities: less teaching, more self-searching and studying. Seats in the library are abundant and you will never see seats-occupying. There is a copy-shop in the basement of the library, offering free printing service for the students without any limitation.
I have gained a deep love for the library. It is just in the library that I shouted to the Lord many times, and he answered my prayers, which helped me accomplishing so many tasks that I thought I couldn’t.
The administration building is diagonally across the library, with administrative department working there. What left in my impression is that this building is not to govern but to serve. Students are always warmly treated. I had an experience that at the beginning of a quarter I went there to pay tuition fee, and at the end of the quarter, one staff there even can recognize my Chinese name. I feel so warm that moment. I can tell they are serving God and people by heart.
There are two campus-necessary departments which the Westminster do not have: canteen and playground. This small sized campus cannot afford a high-cost cafeteria, and there is only a two-floor building run as the dining hall. Seminary students there had to bring their own food. The same with the playground. There is only a basketball court instead.
Lawn is everywhere on the campus, which can be stepped on. And there is no security. The school gate is plain, and the wall low, allowing a glance of the whole campus from outside. Near the campus, there is a cemetery plot, which surprised me a lot. American’s view on death is totally different with that of Chinese, which paid little attention to life-and-death, because of the deep-rooted belief of Christianity.
The Westminster is located on in the countryside of a small town, Philadelphia. Sparsely populated, extraordinarily picturesque, it’s like a forest park, with a crime rate of zero. There are personal valuables everywhere in the campus. Eventually nobody “carries valuables.” As time passes, people here are getting more wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
There are less recreational facilities in the small town, neither high-rise buildings. Christians make up a quite high percent of the population. Not only that, some 10 percent of the population are related with the seminary. The are relation or alumnus. There is no place for dinner or pleasures, but there are so many places for fellowships and gathering. This makes me often wondering if heaven goes like this.
Translated By: Alice Wang
