Hill Country Fall Retreat
Our whole family enjoyed a chance to join students from 47 nations at the Hill Country Fall Retreat in Burnet, TX.
(Pictured above: the main session and Paxton enjoying games with students. Pictured below: Paxton and Cassia playing games with international students.)
I (Naomi) facilitated the staff prayer times (pictured below). These largely happened during the student discussion groups. Annalei and Miah joined us, which was a huge blessing.
At the first staff prayer meeting, we prayed that God would give Bridges staff “divine appointments” during the retreat. And He did! A couple who ministered in China met a Chinese student who was a student at the exact same campus where they ministered! Another couple that ministered in Thailand connected with a Thai student. (Thai students are rarity within Bridges.)
When I was in the craft room, God brought me a Japanese student named Yuna. We had a great conversation in Japanese and English. We discussed Japanese cultural barriers to the gospel and I was able to to show her the Kanji (Chinese character) for “righteousness,” which is a great cultural segue to the gospel. She gave up on the craft she was making because she was so focused on the conversation. At the end of our time Yuna said, “I think God brought me here.”
Then an American (former student leader/recent graduate from Yuna’s campus) named DeJason heard our conversation. He had recently begun studying Japanese and has a heart to do ministry in Japan. I was able to talk with him at length about Japanese culture and their spiritual views. I encouraged him to apply for a summer mission to Japan and connected him with a former teammate of mine who is still in Japan. What is so crazy is that DeJason was only in the craft room because he got a soccer ball to the face that broke his glasses! He knew he could find some hot glue in the craft room, and I never would have met him otherwise. So God can even use soccer ball injuries for His glory. 🙂
(Pictured below: DeJason, Yuna, a Japanese Believer name Lulu, Naomi, and Miah)
Whole Campus Whole World
Zack will be the primary script writer for a new video commissioned by the leadership of the Cru Campus Ministry. The purpose of the video is to capture Cru’s new vision statement: “The whole campus to the whole world in this generation.” His team will visually portray Cru’s desire to see the gospel shared to every student and faculty through movements on every campus that raise up multiplying disciples in and for every nation, by the power of the Holy Spirit and much prayer. We want this video to empower our staff, partners, and student leaders to take the next step.
Family Update
As expected, we are all still walking through grief. We know the holiday season will be especially hard this year without Nicole and would appreciate prayer.
Praise Reports
Our family had a great time connecting with internationals at the retreat.
Divine appointments!
Yuna’s heart was open and receptive to the gospel.
Prayer Requests
God would strengthen our marriage and give us wisdom while parenting through grief.
The Lord would comfort and help us in this difficult season.
Spiritual protection over our family (there have been a number of attacks recently).
Yuna, and every other student who heard the gospel at the retreat, would come to know Jesus very soon.
God would guide Zack as he writes the script for this video.
The new video to encourage and strengthen people.