The World at the Table: International Food Night Celebrates the Hillcrest Family
The room quickly filled with students, parents, grandparents, missionaries, and longtime friends of Hillcrest, gathered around tables for International Food Night.
The smell of spices and simmering soups drifted through the room as students stepped forward one by one to introduce dishes from their home countries. A Korean kimchi soup. Other flavors from around the globe are waiting their turn. For a moment, the Hillcrest cafeteria felt less like a school dining hall and more like a gathering of the nations. The excitement at the tables lifted the room to a roar of conversations that all fell silent as longtime teacher Gregg Preston stood at the head of the room, told a story, and lingered on a simple phrase, “You ought to stay. You will make disciples of all the nations.
More than twenty years ago, Mr. Preston had accepted a coaching job in Tennessee and was preparing to move his family from Hillcrest. But while walking around the Castle at Hillcrest one afternoon, he felt a strong prompting he still remembers clearly: God was going to bring the nations to Hillcrest and expand his ministry. Looking around the room at International Food Night, with students from around the world introducing their foods and cultures to the Hillcrest family, that quiet calling suddenly felt visible.
What happened next was extraordinary for the room, eager to dive into the food of the International Night. For most, what made the evening special wasn’t just the food; it was the people behind it. Each course of the meal was prepared and presented by Hillcrest’s international students. Standing before the crowd, they described the dishes they had made and the traditions behind them. Their explanations brought their cultures into the room in a way that a textbook never could.
Amy introduced the first course: jjigae, a traditional Korean kimchi soup made with fermented kimchi broth, tofu, mushrooms, and pork belly. With a smile, she warned the crowd that the soup was spicy and had the strong fermented flavors that make kimchi famous. Soon, bowls were being passed around the room. Some guests tasted cautiously. Others dove in enthusiastically. The room quickly filled with laughter as families reacted to flavors they had never tried before.
For the students, however, the moment meant more than serving dinner. They were sharing a piece of home with their Hillcrest family.
Over the years, Hillcrest has welcomed students from countries across the globe: China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Cyprus, Russia, Germany, Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Iran, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Korea, and many more. For Preston, nights like International Food Night are a reminder that the calling he sensed years ago has slowly unfolded into something remarkable. God didn’t just send Hillcrest students out into the world. He brought the world to Hillcrest.
One of the most meaningful moments of the evening came after each course was introduced. An adult from the Hillcrest community stood and prayed for the country represented by the dish. Parents prayed. Teachers prayed. Missionaries prayed. Grandparents prayed. Each prayer lifted up a nation before God, asking that the Gospel would spread and that people would come to know Jesus Christ.
It was a simple but powerful reminder that Hillcrest’s international program is about more than cultural exchange. As Preston at the start of the evening, God’s desire is that every man, woman, and child would be saved and come to know the truth.
The Bible describes a day when every tribe, every nation, and every people will gather together in worship before Jesus Christ. Different languages. Different cultures. Different stories. One Savior. For a moment during International Food Night, the Hillcrest community experienced a small glimpse of that promise.
Different foods filled the tables. Different accents filled the room. Different cultures were celebrated. And yet the unity among the Hillcrest family was unmistakable.
As the evening ended, families lingered around the tables. Students continued sharing stories about their homes. Younger children debated which dishes had been the most adventurous. For Preston, it was another reminder that the quiet moment he experienced years ago while walking around campus continues to unfold. Hillcrest has become a place where the nations gather. Students come to learn. They come to compete. They come to sing and play and build friendships. But most importantly, they come to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes, like on International Food Night, the mission of Hillcrest is simply, easily, and beautifully visible. Because at Hillcrest, the nations don’t just meet in the classroom. Sometimes, the nations gather around the table and reflect the beauty of God by bringing others to know and taste their culture.