by Wilma Chipurupuru, 2021/2022 SRC President
When I stood up and indicated my willingness to serve the GWC student community, I had no idea what it would entail or what demands would be placed on me. What I knew for certain was that I wanted to serve. So it was an honour when that desire was recognised, and I was handed the privilege of becoming president of the SRC. At the end of it, I’m incredibly grateful. Serving as both the voice and ears of the students was a great opportunity full of successes, though not without its struggles.
The biblical theme of stewardship and how seriously we ought to take it stood out throughout my year as SRC president. Everyone is entrusted with God-given responsibilities to care for and nurture what God created. This is perhaps especially apparent when one steps into a leadership position, though it isn’t limited to them. Leaders must guide others towards not only a common goal but also the greater good.
Since authority is derived from and entrusted by him, we are accountable to God for how we steward responsibility and power.
In light of this realisation, I often felt inadequate and incapable of the position I held. I sometimes struggled to cope mentally and emotionally, recognising the weight of serving as a leader within a Christian environment. If that wasn’t enough, there were—and I imagine there always will be—other pressures. The juggling act of local church ministry, college leadership, and academics (particularly Greek and Hebrew) made this abundantly clear to me.
However, I didn’t serve alone, but as part of a committed and enthusiastic team. This is something else I’m hugely grateful to God for. Working together, we enjoyed various successes as an SRC. The GWC launch made for a special time of integrating new students and reconnecting with others.
The ‘Culture Clash’ initiative further brought students together, helping them to share their lives with one another. As an SRC, we also benefitted massively from the hard work of previous committees, which established open communication lines between the student body and faculty. This allowed us to address issues as they arose throughout the year.
It always felt like we had the ears of the faculty and the confidence of the students we represented.
All in all, I have personally grown through serving on the SRC. My sense of leadership has been attuned and heightened. All the more, I have renewed respect for faithful, God-honouring, servant hearted, Christlike leaders.