In 1973, the same the year our troops returned home from Vietnam and the Watergate investigation began, several dozen Cru staff and students from across the U.S. traveled to 20 G Street, Hampton Beach, N.H. for what Cru calls today a “Summer Mission.” 

Cru staff assigned rooms, established household norms, and created a weekly schedule. Students looked for jobs and churches to serve in for the summer. After discipling the students for about a month, the staff turned the Summer Mission over to the students and left. During the final few weeks of the Summer Mission, the students led each other. This summer of “greenhouse growth” sent students back to campus better equipped to share their faith, study the Bible, and lead their peers.

This summer, Ramsey and Heather (Cru staff at WVU), a team of Cru staff, and 20+ students continued the 50-year legacy at 20 G Street with the 2023 Hampton Beach Summer Mission. Not surprisingly, today’s students come with different baggage than the students of the 1970s. In addition to the Bible and evangelism training, Ramsey added a weekly men’s training time called “Things I Wish My Dad Had Taught Me,” which included how to tie a tie and change the oil in a car. 

Heather focused on helping the women grow in their love of God by learning how to study their Bibles. Ava, a student at Niagara Univ., shared that this was “the first time I’ve studied God’s word deeply” and she loved it. Several times, Heather would notice Ava copying down pertinent Bible verses. 

Andrew, a student at NDSU, was new to his faith and was hesitant about evangelism and praying aloud. After the staff left the Summer Mission, Ramsey received an enthusiastic, emoji-filled text from Andrew detailing how he and a friend had led someone to Christ, adding, “I got to pray for her out loud.”

These students tallied 500 spiritual conversations, 260 gospel presentations, 18 new believers, and 20,000+ social media posts. Cru also hosted similar Summer Missions in 34 other U.S. cities this summer. Praise God for all the lives that were impacted over the past 50 years of Cru Summer Missions. 

Robin and I are so thankful for your faithfulness in our ministry with Cru, which has eternally impacted millions of lives since Cru was founded in 1951. 

Yours in Christ, 

Steve & Robin