It's Tuesday morning of my second week of campus ministry at UBC. I'm just catching my breath while sitting in the beautiful Regent College atrium (just one of my new favourite mobile office spaces).
The start of this work here has exceeded my expectations. I keep seeing glimpses of God's abundant plan for reaching many people here. I feel like I'm stumbling into evidences of how God is at work. As I pray with fellow IV staff and student leaders we've been praying that the work we do will be simply an unfolding discovery of how to join Jesus who's already at work.
3 Days of SLC (Aug 31 - Sept 2)
For three days leading up to the new semester our staff team gathered new student leader for the Student Leadership Camp. We met near campus at a house rented by IVCF students trying to live in Christian community near UBC. Just being there with them embodied the kind of vision we hope our students will aspire to.
Dinner at the student house
Some fantastic plans were made for how to welcome new students. We feel led to meet their very practical needs of finding new friends, adjusting to campus and studies, and directing them to deeper community among the array of partying alternatives offered.
We urged each other to be experiencing true community and love in Jesus as we abide with him (John 15 was our guide for this)
IVCF staff and student leaders at UBC
Imagine Day (Sept 6th)
IVCF was among about 400 clubs trying to meet new students on the opening day clubs fair at UBC. We determined not to found standing behind a table but to intrigue students. We literally flipped the tables by standing them sideways and creating a tunnel entrance into an outdoor living room. Passing students could roast s'mores with us - it was brilliant! Once Chinese gal enjoyed this strange delicious new treat but then took on a look of horror as both her hands and lips were coated in sticky marshmallow (one over sight was not planning any napkins --oops) After a combination of water from my bottle and tissue fished from her purse we got her cleaned up. She signed up on our list and later showed up to our first friday dinner - asking about Bible study of all things. So we are praying that relationships with us and with Jesus begin to "stick" with new students...sorry - lame joke.
First Friday Dinner and Saturday Adventure (Sept 9, 10)
After days of planning and months of praying our first friday dinner at our new home arrived.
Its hard to plan for numbers when you are brand new and have invited about 30 people who don't know you to dinner. My 2 student leaders went to campus with our banner to wait at the bus stop. I stayed home to barbeque the donated farmer sausage. Well, show up they did - it took 2 public busses to fit them all! About 50 people came in all! Word had spread particularly well in the dorms among new Japanese students and they made up the majority of our evening. They had a chance to peel fresh Chilliwack corn and play some games outside. Afterwards we crowded indoors where various card games took off in various rooms of the house. Our kids were a huge source of entertainment and delight for the students - picture our girls leading a room full of Japanese students in ballet dance moves.
Saturday 20 of us (including my family) headed down town on the bus to explore the waterfront, take the water bus and play games in the park. It was beautiful weather and some good connections were made with students.
All in all we couldn't have asked for a better start to our work. We are very hopeful that genuine community will form.
Continue holding us up in your prayers. As we build trust in relationships our hope is to be pointing to Jesus in all that we do. As a family we are enjoying this but already feeling how tired one weekend can make us.
This next weekend's events are already planned. I'll keep you posted !
Mike
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