This is an exciting and busy time of year in Cru’s Campus Ministry. Students from all around the world are starting classes. Many of these students are away from home for the first time and are looking to find their identity for the next four years. Our Cru Campus staff work very hard during this time, meeting freshman, renewing friendships with upperclassmen, and helping international students adjust to life on a US campus.
Our Cru staff friend, Abigail, recently told us a story that was a great reminder as to why this time of year is so important to connect with college students. Abigail was helping with a University of Kentucky service project. She had the opportunity to chat with several students about Cru. At the end of the day, she was hoping that some of them would ask more, but everyone was packing up to leave.
The Holy Spirit prompted Abigail to run after one student, Jen, who had just started her freshman year at UK. Abigail asked Jen if she would want to meet later in the week so that Abigail could share more about Cru and its activities on the UK campus. A few days later they met, and Abigail found out that Jen had grown up in church, but really didn’t know much about Christ’s work on the cross on her behalf.
Jen accepted Abigail’s invitation to attend Cru’s large group meeting and even got involved in a Bible study. Soon, the truth of the gospel message penetrated Jen’s heart and she prayed to ask Jesus Christ to be her Lord and Savior. From that point on, Jen’s life began to change.
Jen became a leader in Cru on the UK campus. She led Bible studies on campus, went on a Cru summer mission, and served overseas for two years. Now Jen and her husband are Cru missionaries on the Eastern Carolina University campus helping college students have a personal relationship with Christ and teaching them to share their faith with others.
Please pray for both the new and returning college students. Pray that they will feel a tug on their hearts and will look for fellowship on campus with Cru or some other Christian ministry. Pray for the Cru Campus staff as they listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to “run after” students like Abigail did with Jen.
If you know a college student, suggest that they check out Cru on their campus. To find who to contact on each campus, go to www.cru.org/communities/campus.html and enter the name of the college or the city. You should then have the name(s) of our Cru staff who can help students plug into the ministry.
Robin and I have settled into our apartment in Orlando. Our new address is at the bottom of the letter. We’ve just started our new roles at Cru’s Headquarters and met our teammates today. Thank you so much for your prayers for us and our ministry. Because of your involvement, people are entering into a new life with Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Steve & Robin
