Corpus Christi woman called to ministry of shopping

CORPUS CHRISTI—Michele Woods wanted to extend a helping hand. She gained a ministry and cherished friendships.

At a party last summer, she met three Chinese young women who had just arrived in the United States to attend Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Exploring an Asian market are (left to right) Yanqing "Echo" Kong, YongLin "Annie" Chen, Michele Woods from Padre Island Baptist Church in Corpus Christi and Shin Lan "Nancy" Chang. (PHOTO/George Henson)

Woods works as a dyslexic facilitator at a charter school in Corpus Christi and had some free time during the summer. So, she offered to help the young women with any errands, to help them get their feet on the ground.

“In my mind, I thought we’d just do this during the summer while I was off work,” she confessed.

Now, months after the self-imposed intended duration, she continues to take the young women to the Asian market, as well as a larger American grocery store, and other places they need to go each Saturday.

“We’ve become such good friends, I look forward to seeing them, and it’s just continued,” Woods said.

And it’s not just the three women she first met, Shin Lan “Nancy” Chang, YongLin “Annie” Chen and Yanqing “Echo” Kong. They often bring their friends when they need to go places, as well.

“Every week it’s somebody new,” said Woods, who attends Padre Island Baptist Church in Corpus Christi.

Part of her inclination to help the international students harkens back to stories her parents told her about how they were received when they came to America from Germany and Romania.

“I remember how they said so many people helped them, and so I have a heart for people from other countries. If I failed to help, it would be like turning my back on my parents,” Woods said.

“It’s a foreign land to them. They don’t know what to buy or where to go. Someone extended a hand to my parents, and now it’s my turn to extend a hand.”

From the beginning of her ministry to the young women, she has felt a leading of the Holy Spirit, Woods added.

“Nancy always asks that we pray for her. Echo doesn’t know the Lord, and she asks: ‘Why do you do this? People in my country don’t do these things for people.’ I think to be a Christian, your actions have to speak louder than your words. In the beginning, it was an act of obedience, but now we’re friends,” Woods said.

One friend the women brought along told Woods about how she enjoyed the party side of college life.

“She had never been exposed to the gospel, but I got to share my testimony with her,” Woods said.

Nancy and Annie are Christians and attend church regularly. Annie especially is outgoing in her attempts to bring others to church with her.

When the students need advice—or just someone to talk to—Woods makes herself available.

“She helps us a lot,” Annie said. “She helps us to know what to do. She also can tell us what areas to stay away from because they might be dangerous.”

Nancy values a friend with whom she can practice speaking English.

“We’re very close,” Echo said.

“She’s like an American mom,” they said, almost together.

“They’re all young girls, so it is like being a mom,” Woods said. “It’s scary to think of sending my own girls to some foreign country all on their own. So, this is my way of helping their families maybe feel a little better about their being so far from home.”

After finishing their shopping each week, the outing culminates in a trip to a Chinese restaurant for conversation.

“They’re all from different parts of China, so they have different ideas about what Chinese food is supposed to taste like. They each have their favorite places to eat, but they are determined to try every Chinese restaurant in Corpus Christi,” Woods said with a smile.

“My husband claims I am the only woman in the world who can turn shopping into a ministry.”