Genevieve Cowardin ’21

Lancaster, Pennsylvania
MAJOR: nursing

“When I think about my faith growth at GC, Study-Service Term (SST) comes to mind. In the fall of 2018, I went to Peru for my SST. It was a whirlwind of new experiences and unexpected challenges. I was surrounded by a supportive community, yet my feeling of disconnection remained. The language barrier frustrated me, and I felt overwhelmed with my incompetence. However, I unearthed new strength in my faith. I relied heavily on John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” I looked for spaces in my life where I could find Jesus’ peace. I understood that this peace would not always come in the way that I desired, but it would come in the way that I needed. I felt it in the soft, cool waters of the waterfall where I swam with fellow SSTers. I sensed it in the comfort found by trusting my host mom’s intuition and her hospitality. I heard it in the hymns that I sang with a friend by the river. For the first time in my life, I found myself fully trusting in God’s grace and promise to provide.”