Today is the one year anniversary of my meningioma brain surgery. Just looking over this newsletter it is quite amazing to me what it means to be alive and still involved for the good of the kingdom.
Things are still going well as I continue to ramp up at Sac St. Yesterday I was pondering what the Biblical model was for reaching a group of people on Gods heart. I came up with this. As I looked it over I see at least 2 distinct areas where God has blessed me this last month. One- giving me favor with the English Language Institute (ELI) Program Coordinator and opening a door to partner with them and two- bringing me to a Person of Peace who would introduce and bring other students that I can connect and share with.He brought 6 of his Indian friends (who are all engineering majors :) and I am going to give them all a tour of Intel over Spring Break. Thanks, Lord!
We had a great Valentine's dinner for all the international students at the 7 local colleges with ~127 students turning out. They all got to hear the testimony from 3 great students who have recently become Christians! Their testimonies were beautiful and convincing. We then took ~40 students to spend the day in SF. The Lord stepped in and held back the predicted onslaught of rain and not one drop fell on us. We had such great conversations in the car about how God was perceived in India and Malaysia. I respectfully listened and was genuinely interested an they reciprocated the next week when we did our M28 bible study :)
My M28 class was great. I really believe in the model (hey, I was a consultant for it ;), that we let the Bible teach and take care of itself (Heb 4:12).I was able to do a study last week with 6 new Indian students with it and I was so pleased how interested they were and how much they engaged! I didn't teach, I facilitated and yes, the Bible taught itself (1 John 2:27).
Story 1 - ELI
The ISI Regional Field Director and I met the Program Coordinator of the ELI a couple weeks ago. This was my first contact with university officials and introducing myself and what I am doing. I must say, I was a tad nervous. Were they going to say- who is this guy, what is he doing here? I prayed for favor. Well, she came out and met us in the lobby and gave us a whole hour! She was very accepting and approving of us and what we were doing and was happy to partner with us. Her last words were- I am sending an email to the few hundred students in our program to go to to your Talk Time and, if I can, I would like to attend myself. Favor!
Story 2 - Arvin
I met Arvind at our orientation booth last month. We had a great connection and conversation about his MS in CE. I told him I managed many CE majors at Intel and really enjoyed my trips to India. He then opened up how he really wants to get his PhD and become an engineering professor. He then brought 6 of his CS friends to our SF trip. I told them, as well, I have hired many CS students and would be happy to help them with their career journey. Finally, they all came to my M28 bible study and were just so pleasant and interested. We covered Gen 1- creation :). I hope to continue good relationships with them and get to know even more of the international engineering students.
Metrics
http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/metrics
http://www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/International-Students/Infographic
Pics
Prayer Requests
- God will continue to bless our open door with ELI and the Indian engineering students. That we can grow these groups and reach even more students
- Now that my support raising is over I need to figure out where to best put my newly available time at Sac St. I suspect at the English Language Institute (ELI). <<Yes! An open door to partner with them and for their students to attend our activities>>
- SSDI. I find out January 13, 2015 if I qualify for SSDI. <<Geesh. Still no answer. Next week?>>
- Should we take the NorCal international students down to LA for Big Break, or create our own event up here for them, when they are on spring break. <<I am creating 3 events for them up here- Intel tour, Tahoe day trip and light rail scavenger hunt>>
- Reinstatement of our club charter so we can meet in classroom once again. <<In process>>
Admonition
"Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God" - William Carey, missionary to India