Highlights.
- We took Megan to an Iranian Christian church, above, and I don't think I am able to capture in words anything near what a blessing it was! The church was great, the ex-Muslim Christians were just an amazing group of believers. Megan loved it and wants to go back weekly with us (even though the whole service is in Farsi and my wife and I do not speak a word of Farsi :). They gave her a nice Farsi Bible and one of the people she knew and he shared with us how he was a radical Muslim but when He met Jesus he instantly knew that He was the real God that deserved his heart. Megan just listened intently! The pastor introduced himself to her and asked her if she had any questions. She is bringing a list next week! :)
- What a wonderful Snow Day we had yesterday! In all honesty, everything went absolutely perfect! I am not kidding. Of all the things that could have gone wrong, absolutely nothing did and we all had the time of our lives! About 30-40 students came. We went to Sierra Woods Lodge in Emigrant Gap off of 80. It is under new ownership and kudos to the new owners. They are knocking the ball out of the park! The rooms are great, the lodge is great, the service is great and the food is even greater! I am going to stop there and go in every time I drive by it. I cannot say enough good things about the day we all had and about the place.
- We had a booth again at Club Day for this semester. We were not the rock stars we were last semester but we still had a great turnout and met many new students and got their contact info (~9). The biggest highlight this time is 3 members of the FLC staff went out of their way to stop by and tell us how much they appreciated our club! One was the Student Service Official, then the next was her replacement (she was recently promoted) and then the VP of the office! I am not sure why they went out of their way to 'honor' us but I think it had to do with 2 things- 1) they were all intimately aware of my efforts to house and help the 2 Haiti students that lost their sponsorship and 2) I contacted one of the coordinators a couple weeks ago and mentioned that all my students were very, very upset with US immigration policies and asked how we could work together to raise this as an issue within the college and address their concerns. They VP mentioned this when she stopped by and said they were going to put on a panel with the school officials about this and asked us to be part of the panel and to help promote it! :)
- I am getting quite knowledgeable about Islam and where all the great Christian resources are that are effective to give to them to help them on their journey in understanding and loving the God of all grace and comfort.
- The love. After the prefect Snow Day (again, it really was!), all the FLC students said- let's all go get Boba tea at Gong Cha and hangout. I heartily agreed. I love Boba tea. We stayed there easily 2 hours and just drank our tea and played Jenga and Uno. But, it was the conversation that was extraordinary. We talked about everything in life, laughed continually and it was obvious what a huge connection we all had. It was not stated but it was obvious the love that now exists between us all and that we are officially 'family.' Even the topics we discussed were so deep and personal they are the types that would only be discussed in a very close-knit family. Perfect ending to a perfect day. John 3:16
Lowlights.
- The Haiti boys racked up a $200 bill on my cell phone. I had warned them 3 times not to use the carrier to call Haiti but to use WhatsApp or Hangout Dialer. Still, one of them apologized and sent me the $ through PayPal and I told him I respected him for that. It was not about the $ but now that they are illegal I want to help them do the 'right' things to stay here and be responsible. I am going to make a donation to them from my own $ and 3-4 people on this disti list who donated to them. All I have asked them to tell me is what they are going to use it for. and not to just hop from place to place illegally until the $ runs out.
- I had a pretty big argument with the club student leader. She is a wonderful Christian girl, also from Haiti. Her English skills are still a little lacking so I think it was just a miscommunication on her part. I think it was because I had told the group that I was trying to help the Haiti boys do the 'right' thing to stay in America. I think she thought I should just house and pay for them ($36,000) to stay in FLC. I told her that was not really 'helping' them but just delaying the inevitable- that they would still never get their BS here (>$100,000) and most likely, if they did, would not guarantee they would get a job and become citizens. We finally calmed down and I believe all is great again with us. We both care for the Haiti boys so in reality we want the same things for them. This whole immigration thing is so touchy and especially since it is not just a media thing to me but highly personal now.
- My wife was sharing with Zoey, a strong Muslim. She said to my wife- you are a Christian?! My wife replied enthusiastically- yes, very much so! Zoey then made a spitting gesture and a face of disgust. Wow. Didn't expect that. Not used to that. We have no hard feelings, for sure. Zoey and her daughter are the nicest and friendliest people. I am sure that no matter where this all goes we will always be their friends. I just need to be clear and gentle that Jehovah God is love and sacrifice at the highest imaginable level and nothing to be offended by. I am sure in their culture it runs deep, probably much like the Jewish-Palestinian disdain for each other, but I hope I can be an example and communicate the gospel in a way that shows them that Jesus, to the contrary, is Someone beyond beautiful and it is, in fact, we He should spit at.
Story 1 - Megan*
Again. This is the best story of the month! I mentioned most of the details in the first Highlight above. I looked back in my newsletters and it was in December of 2015 that I met and started asking prayer for Megan*. First, thank you so much for praying with us for her. We are now going to church with her each week at an Iranian Christian church. The church even gave us headphones so they could tell us what is being said in English :) The Iranian Christians are very dear believers there. Again, I see more of the divine network reaching out to her. She is asking great questions- Erv, how can it be true that Miriam had a baby without a man? That is impossible. :) She is even asking her husband these same questions. He said- keep going to church and follow your heart! :) I mentioned a couple newsletters ago that even her son has started going to a youth group and her cousin was recently saved. We are so happy and honored to be part of her journey back into the loving arms of the Father.
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>> <<Yes and Yes and Yes!!!)>>
- 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. <<Ongoing. Ana, Mary and Zoey have all returned! :) Mary and Zoey are very fearful of having to return to Iran now>>
- That we can start an Alpha or M28 club (Bible study) with the students that are interested in learning more about the Lord. <<Drop, for now. Focus is now resuming the Talk Time at the RCC. The Lord willing, it should be in the next week or two>>
- Many opportunities have arisen with more students, faculty, volunteers and churches connected with us- host families, greeting students at the airport when they arrive, weekly talk partners, Bible study, dinners, assisting the college... We certainly need wisdom to know what we can and cannot do, that the Lord will direct our steps.<<Carry one more month. I need to involve our church sponsor by next month or drop this for a while>>
- For Curt Nichols speaking on March 18. That God would give Him the right message and anointed words. I know He already has the right message by his life. That God would kindle a fire in all of the scholars to come and hear him and receive what he has to say. That all in all God would be lifted up and the Holy Spirit would convict all in sin and righteousness.
Admonition
“They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." - Gen 3:8
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