Highlights. The Summer Outreach Fellowship is off and running and the 12 student leaders are doing a great job and showing remarkable maturity in their approach. I created an online survey to send to all the students to get feedback on how we are doing in meeting their needs in both fellowship and Bible study. I will report out on the responses in the next newsletter.
Went on vacation and started remodeling the house with the $ spent before I found out about my tumor
Lowlights. Kris has gotten a lot busier and not as easy for us to meet in person.
Story 1 - Will Mark
Will Mark is just a contagiously happy and amiable young student from the Philippines. He is very kind and caring and everyone gravitates to him and his friendship.When the Supreme court ruled on same-sex marriage I could see it troubled him a little more than others. After a few days he decided to write a post on FB summarizing his opinions and feelings about it. Even though FB is not the place to really engage others on this issue, I must say I thought it was really well written, loving and non-judgmental , and he just wanted people to hear his side. Well, there was some fallout and I ended up jumping in to defend him and and emphasizing this whole thing is not a personal conflict. Obama is wrong when he says Christians, or any religious group, needs to change what they believe to align with changes in society. Matt 19 says what is says. Any conflict is between people and Jesus. I was proud of Will Mark and his heart, it was obvious he just cares.
Metrics
http://isiervthomas.weebly.com/metrics
http://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2015/by-the-numbers.pdf
Pics
Prayer Requests
- For our leadership development over the summer. We have 13 faithful, humble Christian international students to pour into over the next 3 months. We really need God to show us what to pour into them. How to get them ready to minister next year, for sure, but also just to build them up in their own most holy faith.To use this opportunity just to bless them and help them become more godly men and women, in general. <<Praise. Ongoing request>>
- God would draw, and show us how to draw in more students for the summertime Bible study. That He would touch hearts and we would 'see' fruit and growth in both the students and the leaders.<<Numbers are steady. Will report out next month>>
- Reinstatement of our club charter so we can meet in a classroom once again. <<Still waiting but have heard rumors of good news that we will be restored by Fall semester :)>>
- International student orientation occurs in 3 more weeks. This is one of our regular pivotal events to meet all the new students, introduce ourselves and our ministry and present them with giveaways that will bless them and help them to remember us. Pray that our charter is reinstated so that we can actually have our booth in front of the orientation room and not outside. Pray the students would be attracted to us and see the light for themt in our eyes
Admonition
“You only love God as much as the person you love the least" - Dorothy Day