Whom does CCA serve?
CCA is a bilingual Christian school
offering classes from preschool through
sixth grade. The school was started seven
years ago by a missionary couple with the
purpose of reaching local Nicaraguans with
the Gospel through Christian education.
Fewer than 25 percent of our families are
professing Christians, but many parents
are interested in the school because their
children can have a better future if they can
speak English.This is an opportunity for us
as volunteers, teachers, and administrators
to be a light in this community. In addition
to daily Bible classes and weekly chapels,
teachers integrate Scripture into every
subject. Whenever we have school concerts
or celebrations, we clearly share the Gospel
with all who attend.
How did you get connected?
I had visited the school two years ago on a
missions trip and decided to meet up with
the missionaries again during my senior
year. They told me they needed someone
with a business background who could
help with the finances and advise on how
to make school operations more efficient. I
smiled and told them I would pray that God
would send the right person; but the more I
prayed about it, the more evident it became
that God wanted me to be that person.
What part of your Cedarville experience
prepared you most to take on a job with
so many varied responsibilities?
Looking back, I can see how God began
preparing me for this throughout my
four years at Cedarville, starting with the
annual Involvement Fair my freshman
year. There was a Chinese church in
Dayton looking for Cedarville students to
help with its youth group, and I was
the only person who signed up that
day. I ended up leading a ministry
team for four years to Agape Chinese
Evangelical Church on Fridays and
Sundays to help with the youth
group, Sunday school, and Sunday
worship. The team eventually grew
to more than just me, and today
the youth group is flourishing. This
opportunity not only taught me how to
work with people and lead a team, but I
also learned how to start, lead, grow, and
hand off a ministry.
I also tookpart inamissions trip through
the School of Business Administration. A
group of business students from Students
in Free Enterprise (now called Enactus)
went to Bolivia to counsel people on
budgeting and financial management.That
experience prepared me for the daily work
I do and also helps me be a good host to the
incoming missions teams that come to the
school each summer.
I had many leadership roles at
Cedarville, including being the President
of an Integrated Business Core company,
Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook, and
two years as Class Treasurer. These
opportunities gave me experience and the
confidence I have today to lead teams of
volunteers at the school and work with
the teachers.
Among your many experiences at
Cedarville, what most prepared your
heart for ministry?
I really enjoyed the Bible and missions
conferences that Cedarville holds at the
beginning of every semester. Dr. Rob
Turner was probably the one speaker who
influenced me the most. I still remember
his message on Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.”
We are broken people and unworthy
tools, yet God chooses to use us. It was
comforting to know that no one is perfect,
but by God’s grace we can still serve Him.
Cedarville provided the perfect
incubator and balance for me to develop
both academically and spiritually. The
end result is that I am willing to go
wherever God leads and use the skills He
has given me. A day doesn’t go by when I
don’t use the tools and experiences I gained
at Cedarville.
Stuart Li ’13
is an Administrative Advisor
at Carazo Christian Academy in Dolores,
Carazo, Nicaragua. Learn more about this
ministry at
Prepared
to
Serve
Q&A with Stuart Li ’13
A year ago, as a senior business major at Cedarville, Stuart Li ’13 didn’t imagine he would
be helping run a school in a Third World country. As Administrative Advisor at Carazo
Christian Academy (CCA) in Nicaragua, Li manages the school’s finances and budget, teaches
kindergarten and fourth-grade English, solves IT issues, and works with volunteers and
missions teams. And when he’s not doing all that, this former yearbook editor takes school
pictures.
How does a recent grad gain the experience and the mindset to take on such a challenging
role? By making the most of every opportunity at Cedarville.
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Cedarville Magazine
