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Southeastern
College
Lequient Bethel
When God
calls you, He’ll provide the way
Lequient Bethel, 22,
sat at home in Nassau, Bahamas, on the first day of classes in the
spring 2002 semester. He had arrived home just before Christmas
2001 after leaving Morehead (Ky.) State University, where he drifted
through four different majors in a two-year span. He says he was
running from God’s will until he decided to rededicate his
life to Christ and attend Southeastern College of the Assemblies
of God in Lakeland, Fla., in 2002. But he lacked the $5,500 necessary
for a new student visa and other international student fees. With
family members unable
and banks unwilling to help, Bethel found encouragement through
prayer and reading the Word. He knew God had called him to preach.
So he packed his bags and waited for God to provide the way. On
the semester’s opening day, he had already waited two weeks.
“I realized I had
to put my faith in action first,” says Bethel, who grew up
in Nassau. “My family wondered what I was doing, but God told
me I was going to Southeastern.”
The next morning, Bethel’s
mother, Laverne, went to work at Princess Margaret Hospital where
she is an accountant. A friend, Deidre, asked her if Bethel was
still going to college. Laverne exercised her faith and said yes.
Deidre responded with a promise of $5,500 — which she gave
the next day — to help with Bethel’s school bill.
“This is the God
we serve,” Bethel says. “That’s how I got to Southeastern.”
Today, Bethel is one
semester away from graduating with a pastoral studies degree.
“When you realize
God’s call on your life,” says Bethel, noting he has
begun traveling to various churches in Florida to preach, “the
thing you thought would be hard to do comes naturally because of
His anointing on you.” This semester, he will be working alongside
Campus Pastor Dan Schoonover implementing a new program called “Student
Pastors” to help students minister to students. Being a Southeastern
student, Bethel says, showed him the heart of ministry.
“Being at Southeastern
has taught me how to love people,” Bethel says. “I’ve
learned to see people the way God sees them.”
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