Hungry for God
“Would you be interested in reading the Bible?” Brianne asked.
“Maybe,” said Juan (pictured above, left).
Brianne, a Bridges staff member in the Bay Area had just met Juan, a student from El Salvador. The Bridges team had set up a large world map on campus. When students passed by, Brianne and her teammate would ask them to place a sticker on their country of origin, and then ask them about their hometown. Through these conversations, Brianne would ask students like Juan if they wanted to join a Bible Study.
Juan told Brianne that his grandmother was a Christian, but he considered himself an atheist. He never had learned that much about the Bible, though, so a seed of curiosity was planted. A few months later, the Bridges team started up a Bible Study. Brianne remembered Juan’s “maybe,” and invited him to that first meeting. He attended every week after that (pictured above, right).
“He asks the deepest questions as we read God’s Word and is always hungry for more knowledge about God,” Brianne says. Juan has also attended church with Brianne and her husband, David. Please pray that the seed being planted in Juan’s heart find good soil.
Welcoming New Students
Thousands of new students are arriving in the U.S. right now; many have never left their home countries before. Our fellow Bridges staff are working hard to welcome these students, serve them in practical ways, and invite them to weekly events like Bible studies and socials. These next few weeks are a critical time for Bridges teams to build momentum. It is also typically an exhausting time. Pray for significant connections and stamina for our staff.
Here is a list of some Bridges welcome events. Please pray that God would lead our staff to spiritually open internationals (just like Juan):
8/18: U. of Texas Sunset Dinner Cruise
8/19: Houston City Tour and Welcome Party
8/19: Kansas State Welcome Picnic
8/26: Kansas State Kayaking Event
9/1: Philadelphia Welcome Party
9/1: Washington DC Metro Welcome Party
Back to School
Our kids just had their first day of school! We are building up the Christian community that was formed last year through the Cru High School club and Moms In Prayer group at their school. God has already given us divine appointments connecting us with Christian families. Please pray for more.
Publishing Progress
During July, I (Zack) traveled to St. Louis for Realm Makers, the annual conference for Christian writers of fantasy and science fiction (pictured below). I pitched my sci-fi novel to three publishers at the conference, and two have shown interest. The story is about a detective and scientist who battle a research lab that’s experimenting on a captured angel.
Upcoming
The National Bridges prayer team will be supporting our campus staff in prayer. We will have 21 Days of Prayer from 8/21 – 9/19, over Zoom. Naomi will get to lead a few of these prayer times, which she greatly enjoys.
Praise Reports
•Juan is seeing truth in God’s Word.
•God has raised up hundreds of Bridges staff and volunteers to reach out to International Students here in the U.S.
•Two publishers have shown interest in Zack’s novel.
Prayer Requests
•Juan would place his faith in Jesus very soon.
•Stamina for Bridges campus staff in this busy season.
•God would give divine appointments at every campus that Bridges has a presence.
•Spiritually-open students would attend Bridges events.
•Zack’s book to get published.