Meet Our Mentors
Our mentors for Journey International Ministry (JIM, for short!) are Andrew, Angela, Sam, and Carol. We’re excited to meet you!
Name: Andrew Chen
Hometown: Hacienda Heights, CA (a small town in LA)
Occupation: Senior analytics engineer @ stealth startup || Data bootcamp founder
My not-so-super power: Remembering people's hometowns
Three-sentence testimony: I grew up non-religious and was very driven/ambitious growing up. I started to investigate Christianity in my freshman year at UC Berkeley because I believed there had to be more to life than chasing after success and money as it felt like a relentless cycle. After exploring the evidence for Christianity and going to church for a year, I became Christian my sophomore year and my life has never been the same since!
Name: Angela Chen
Hometown: Arcadia, California
Occupation: Data analyst @ Acast || Former pharmacist
My not-so-super power: Chewing at least 10 times a bite for good digestion
Three-sentence testimony: When I was young, I thought God was just someone who gave you good things when you were good and punished you when you were bad. But going to college, I learned about God as a personal Creator who loves us and who wants us to know Him and love Him. When I understood myself as I grew older, I realized that all along God has been merciful towards me and I can trust Him with my life.
Name: Carol Nie
Hometown: Beijing, China
Occupation: Dual master’s degree student in Environmental Studies and Public Health @ UPenn
My not-so-super power: Laughing to death at things other people don't find funny at all
Three-sentence testimony: When I was younger, I always wondered if there is anything beyond this world, and the atheistic answer "no" made me feel very scared of death and lost about the ultimate meaning of my life. Coming to college, I learned that Christianity is not a myth as I had assumed, but that it is backed up by logic, reasoning, and historical evidence. The Christian God is the source of my hope and joy for life now, and He gives me a purpose that I have been looking for since my childhood.
Name: Samuel Zhang
Hometown: San Ramon, CA (a small town near Silicon Valley)
Occupation: Software Engineer @ Amazon
My not-so-super power: Even Andrew probably can’t remember all the cities and states I’ve lived in
Three-sentence testimony: Growing up, I was often called the nice guy, but I learned that the Bible says I am a “sinner” who needs God’s forgiveness. This was the most true statement I had heard in my life, because I knew that, if he existed, God must know everything about me—all my thoughts, secrets, and mistakes. I fell in love with Jesus, because he loves me despite my sinfulness, and is able to forgive and change me.