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Highlights.
- ASLAN IS ON THE MOVE! I attached the baby blanket picture up top to emphasize this! God is truly on the move in Folsom and at the RC campus as you will see from this months newsletter! Really, if any of you want to visit and see for yourself, please do! Or, if you want to host a dinner, I will bring them all to your house. I think we are well over 30 students now. Thank You, Lord! I chose the Narnia quote because I just love CS Lewis and I love the Narnia stories. If you haven't read them or seen the movie, please do. For now all I will say is, look at the picture from right to left and recall the line 'always winter, never Christmas.' Then, look at the flowers at the left. That is what happened when Aslan was on the move. That is exactly what is happening at FLC right now. I even wrote a song about it on the guitar this morning. I hope to play it for you someday.
- We are up and running at FLC - RC campus! We had 16 show at our first meeting and 17 at our second! They have already asked me not to stop when school ends next month and to continue through the summer! Thank You, Lord! Together with the students coming to FLC, over 30 students are coming each week from 10 countries, many Muslim. They are all a delight to my heart. I am still amazed that we almost closed our efforts there a few months ago
- My giveaways for the RCC Open House were a huge success! I would say all Selfie sticks were gone within 5 minutes of the Open House starting! Then, within 15 minutes, all 30 of my stylus/pens were gone. All of them had our club name and FB page address :) My bookmarks sort of failed, though.
- I was invited to speak to 2 classes at the RCC a couple weeks ago and, very much like the first time, it went way above all I had hoped. I can't explain it but there is just a natural huge connection I have with these students, and them with me. I think it can only be explained by God working in all of us. At the end of my talks the students asked me if I would continue the club through the summer. I said, 'if that is what you want then absolutely!'
- I am required by ISI to go to one National Conference every 2 years. I skipped China and India the last 2 years. Next year it is in Singapore so I chose to go to the one this year in CO. I like China, Singapore and India and went there many times when I was at Intel but now I just want to save the $ to use with all of the new students that are coming. I received $3000 this last week in donations (the exact amount I needed) so now I don't have to even worry about losing any ground. My wife is going as well. This is just so encouraging as, again, I see Gods hand working through you all to keep me going forward.
- I start on Medicare in 9 days :)
- I started a FB page for the FLC and the RCC. It was an instant hiot, even more than our webpage. Check it out right now and see all the stuff we have been doing (lots of pics and videos :). I will include the link under Metrics below each month but here it is so you can click on it: http://www.facebook.com/international.life.flc
Lowlights.
- I eat a lot of pizza each week with the students (highlight). However, I think I am finally starting to gain weight. I guess that is now my way of 'carrying my cross' for Christ ;)
- About 5 of the Muslim students have stopped coming to Talk Time. I am hoping they will reengage when I go out to the RCC campus.Two have returned and I suspect when Talk Time starts in 2 weeks at the RCC many more will return since they live closer.
Story 1 - Zoey*
Zoey* (again). I mentioned Zoey* in the March newsletter. She really is a delightful woman and so nice to my wife and I. Recently she saw a post I made on FB of the top 10 books to read before you die. She messaged me and told me she likes to read and which one of them I would recommend. Fortunately, Chronicles of Narnia was on the list and I told her to start there because they were delightful children's stories, had easy English and had a much deeper meaning. I brought her The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe yesterday and she was happy to start reading it immediately. I can't wait until she asks me who Aslan is ;)
Story 2 - Ana*, Ronnie* and Zoey*
At the RCC Open House, 3 FLC students came to just support me at my table. After it was all over they took me aside into the student lounge. They told me very directly how much they appreciate all I have done for them and went into quite detail. Ana* (Russia) said something very touching to me. She said- I was like a deaf and dumb child here with no parent to help me. Wow! What an example! She knew she couldn't speak and she couldn't hear English and she described what an isolated world it was for her. She then said- it wouldn't have been as bad if I had a parent to love me and help me through it all. You have been that for us. Wow! First, let me say, I could have done nothing without you who are reading this right now! So, she is really thanking you! Next, I do not get a big head in this. On the contrary, it was so humbling I could not even look them in the eyes. But, my goal all along has been to show them the love of Christ. That is why I am there. I rejoice so much that they are truly seeing it!!
Links
Donation: http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/donate.html
Metrics: http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/metrics
Nations in the US: http://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2015/by-the-numbers.pdf
FLC Club (FB page): http://www.facebook.com/international.life.flc
FLC Club (webpage): https://sites.google.com/site/flcinternationalclub/
My Talks: http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/my-talks.html
Pics: https://plus.google.com/photos/+ervthomas/albums/6053038271389882641
Prayer Requests
- For Megan*. That God would continue to show Himself to her and build on the experience she had with Him at Easter. That she would know for sure she has found the relationship with Him she desires. Pray for my wife to be able to follow-up with her soon and say the right things.<<Ongoing.>>
- I can instruct, and God will use, the 20 volunteers from my church to effectively model and communicate the love of Christ to the students they meet with. Pray that God would match them up according to His wisdom. <<Ongoing. We are reducing the # from 20 to something smaller to get it going quicker. We have 2 confirmed now>>
- That our new club at the Rancho Cordova campus will be successful. <<YES!! 17+ from the start>>
- That we can start an Alpha club (Bible study) with the students that are interested in learning more about the Lord. <<Ongoing. Maybe this is what I add to the summer program>>
- Our first outing as a group to Miniature Golf will be fun. That everyone will naturally enjoy each other and the experience and draw closer. <<Answered. So much fun! 12 of us and then we ate together and I gave out awards. It was just a great time. See it on our FB page>>
- That God would help us get over the hurdle(s) in lining up the 20 Christian volunteers who will meet with and practice English with the FLC students.<<I met with the professor, who is our club adviser, and she told me that we bit off more than we could chew and we need to slow down and start with just a few. We have 2 committed right now and that is enough to start with>
- I can create 2 good Bible Talk Time lessons that cover the book of Revelation that would point the students to Jesus. I am happy they asked me to do this! It might be a challenging task but I am up for it :) <<God answered my prayer and I have a soft copy of the book of Revelation in Farsi. I still need to write up some good discussion questions and get them translated. I do have a person lined up to do that. I am close to being done>>
- For Ana* and Zoey*. Like Megan* that God would start drawing them to Himself and making them aware of their need for Him. They are both great friends with Megan*, that perhaps Megans* seeking will inspire them to seek also. <<As mentioned above, Zoey* is now reading CS Lewis. Not sure what the next step is for Ana*, yet>>
- I am going on a 3 day Regional Retreat for the All-West ISI Campus Staff. Pray I can self-regulate the whole time and be a blessing to my brothers and sisters. That I would hear from God as to what would bless Him most as we close out this school year. <<Yes! I had a great time, especially with my peers in the car ride down and going on walks with them on breaks. The teaching was encouraging as well and even the food was good ;)>>
Admonition
“Healthy things grow and balanced things don't break" - Pastor Corey Rose, Eugene