Luther Seminary supports whole-heartedly for international students to remain at Luther during the coming academic year. A July 6th announcement from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) sought to require that resident international students take courses in person during the 2020 fall semester, despite COVID-19 concerns. However, a recent update indicates that the Trump Administration just dropped the policy for all international students to depart to their countries for taking online courses. I have not heard yet from the Seminary the official statement of our status due to this rapid change.
In the meantime, I am continuing to finish my Clinical Pastoral Education by mid August at Lutheran Social Services and praying that I can begin my internship in the Fall. Good news is that I have been hired right before this statement came out, to do a part time for two years a pastoral internship at ComoParkLutheran Church. This position will start in the fall if my Endorsement Interview goes well which is scheduled for Aug 17th, and that the Seminary is able to come up with different models of learning for international students. Please keep me, international students and the Seminary’s administration in your prayers. I just could not imagine if I have to go home to take classes online and my candidacy process as a pastor may be on hold.
These couple of weeks have been overwhelming and stressful. But I continue to find peace and rest in God and in people such as yourselves, the community of Luther Seminary and my CPE cohort that pray and support for our well-being in the US.
So this is the update on my status as a student. Jonah is doing well this summer. We don’t know yet what the school is going to do in the fall, but I find peace and hope in the Lord.
Please stay well and safe.
Thank you and blessings,
esther