EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was originally published in the August issue of GCU Magazine, available in the purple bins across campus or digitally here.
Story by Caleb Noble
Photos by Ralph Freso
Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada might sound like faraway places.
But for me, they were simply “home” – a home vastly different from Des Moines, Iowa
That’s where my parents met, married and found out they were pregnant with me. My dad was working in the finance industry when he had an opportunity to move to Singapore for work.
This pulled us away from our familiar home in the United States. After five years there – and after having two of my younger brothers – my parents knew the Lord was calling them into mission-focused work.
This led us to Vancouver, Canada, where my dad pursued his master’s degree in Christian studies, and soon after, with the addition of another son, our family moved back to Des Moines, where we waited on the Lord to direct our future.
My family of six had been living in my grandparents’ basement for 18 months when we discovered Crossroads Foundation, a nongovernmental organization that distributes donated goods to underprivileged populations around the world. While it was not an outright Christian or missional organization, Crossroads was based in the foundations of biblical principles, so after careful deliberation, prayer and conversation, our family moved to Hong Kong, where the foundation is based.
I was blessed to live there for nine years, from fourth grade to the end of my senior year of high school.
Following my parents’ lead, I contributed to the Crossroads team, maintaining the property site, packing storage containers for shipping, and befriending other youth on the team.
I learned to serve following Christ’s commands to His people.
Outside of Crossroads, I kept busy in school, delving into the performing arts and taking on leadership roles in Young Life. I even helped put on the semiannual spiritual retreat for my school.
Those activities taught me about community and to own my faith and relationship with God.
In spring 2021, when I was approaching my high school graduation and it was time to decide on the next step of my life, I crossed the ocean again. After careful deliberation, I moved to Phoenix to study electrical engineering at Grand Canyon University.
My introduction to GCU was through Dr. Dan Egeler, vice president of Academic Alliances for K12 Educational Development, who spoke about the university at my high school.
I had no idea how impactful his visit to my school would be; now it means more to me than he will probably ever know.
As a freshman, by the Lord’s grace and guidance, I developed quick friendships, and by my sophomore year, I began working as a resident assistant.
This truly changed my life.
I learned about timeliness, responsibility, integrity and servant leadership, to name a few, in a Christ-centered environment.
Last fall, after a lot of networking and talking to university leadership, I was able to help bring a Crossroads poverty simulation – it was called “Struggle to Survive” – to GCU. It is one of hundreds of simulations the foundation has conducted for almost two decades.
GCU students, staff and faculty, alongside community leaders, participated in an activity at the event in which they made paper bags to sell to make enough money to pay for rent and food. The simulation mimics how some vulnerable populations struggle to survive.
We saw students’ eyes opened to how it feels to be impoverished. Praise God for that!
GCU changed my life in another way.
I am about to marry my beautiful fiancée, Rilee, who I met as a fellow RA at GCU. We look forward to starting our marriage with our eyes on Christ and with a drive to serve Him and to open other people’s eyes to the needs of the poor.
We saw students' eyes opened to how it feels to be impoverished. Praise God for that!
Caleb Noble, senior electrical engineering student
I’m blessed to continue staying involved with Crossroads from afar. Whenever possible, I share what we do back home and spread the word here. I also continue to help bring some of our powerful simulations to the U.S.
Through these simulations, the Crossroads team educates students, corporate teams, collegiate clubs and any other attendees on the perspectives of desperate populations around the world. The motive is not to inflict fear or pity in simulation attendees, but rather, to spur empathy and motivation to creatively solve the issues that oppress the impoverished.
I’m now on the cusp of graduating and earning my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. One of the big projects I worked on was designing a circuit board to control the avionics for a student-built flight simulator. I also work as a service engineer at Nanoscience Instruments.
I do not know where the Lord is going to take me and Rilee. But I’m grateful for all He has brought me through, taught me and allowed me to experience because He has used it to care for, love and serve those around me.
I am so excited to see what is to come.
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ABOUT CALEB NOBLE:
Caleb Noble is a senior electrical engineering major who works for Nanoscience Instruments, one minute from his Phoenix home. He loves rock climbing, hanging out with friends, is looking forward to his wedding and longs to travel overseas again.
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Also from GCU Magazine:
GCU's greatest currency is how it builds an economy by building community
Virtual engagement: GCU is connecting with students in the metaverse
