“Dang,” I said aloud placing my phone gently on the table. Giving it a spin, I looked up at Columbo. “I don’t even know how to
respond to this.”

“What? What is it?”

I mentioned Storm in my last blog. We have a Bible study with him and our friend Allison every Wednesday. We’ve been meeting with them for the past couple months every week. We’ll  hang out together at our favorite milk tea shop and chat for a bit, laugh,
help Storm with his english workbook and so on. Last week Allison wasn’t able to make it, so Storm opened up a bit about some
feelings he’d been having about his friendship with Allison. Columbo, Sheldon, and I were able to have an opportunity to love on
him and speak into his life as friends and give some wisdom and advice. It felt really good. He came to us like a younger brother.

“It’s Storm. He can’t hang out today. . . and for the next month!”

Basically, in the text he shared with me how he will be spending the next month or so preparing for some important exams to come in January and would be too busy to be able to spend time with us. He was very sorry and kind in it and I love the kid, but dang, this
was a bit of a heartbreaker.

While disappointing, this wasn’t much of a surprise. This is a typical characteristic of the battle that rages for the hearts of
the sons and daughters of this nation. When exam time comes around, our friends are less and less available, sometimes seemingly going into hiding.

The good news is this, and in this I will hope and find peace: While we may not be able to reach them, I know God can! Whether in
the trenches of His dorm, or strapped into a chair in the library, or lost in a stack of books Storm may be out of our reach, but he
is most certainly not out of reach of God. Our prayers release God to go where we cannot and work in ways that we cannot. God is big. God is sovereign.

As I’ve been meditating on God’s sovereignty I’ve been finding great peace, and great faith to see Him move in ways I’ve never
seen before. I know there is good seed that’s been sown in the heart of Storm and the rain of prayer and petition can bring
supernatural fruit to the glory of a God who is after the hearts of the sons and daughters of this nation.

There is a certain element, though, that is essential in the food business: Hunger. In a restaurant in C-town, when people are hungry, all hands are on deck, shuffling too and fro, shouting orders, serving dishes, collecting money, giving change, clearing tables, etc. When people aren’t hungry, it’s time to doze off in a chair in front of the restaurant with a mangy mutt under your chair doing likewise.

For my team here in C-town, praise God it’s been the former and not the latter. The key word here since my last update has been HUNGER. They’re coming, and they’re coming HUNGRY! Storm, Allison, Jude, Jackie, Time and friends, Max, Mike Lee and Emily, Silas, KJ, Joe, Henry, and even one named Spiffy. (That name just makes me smile.) These are all friends we regularly, at least once a week study the Bible with and they’re eating it up, inviting friends even!

 Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’” That’s amazing, I love the word of God! Two things that Jesus says stand out to me: “If you knew” and “you would have asked”. The asking, the seeking, the thirsting, the HUNGER, is effected by the KNOWING.

While in Asia, one of the things I hunger for back in the States is a nice juicy steak. It’s always the first meal upon arriving back during the summer. Always. Without fail. I HUNGER for it because I KNOW that somewhere in a land far far away called America there are many cows. And some of those said cows will become steaks, and boy are they delicious. I want one right now! With some steamed clams and garlic butter sauce. And some asparagus lightly pan fried with black pepper. And a heap of mashed potatoes! (My mom is probably laughing a little right now ’cause if anyone knows this meal, it’s her! Thanks mom. You’re awesome.) I digress. . .

 KNOWING effects HUNGER, and HUNGER effects a decision to eat.

 Our many Bible studies have been blessed and fruitful. Our friends are encountering God. By encountering His word they are growing more and more hungry. They are seeing Him and tasting that He is good. We meet with our friends Storm and Allison every Wednesday afternoon and study the Bible at a tea house on campus. The second week that we studied with them they showed up having purchased their own Bibles unprompted by us! Talking over the scriptures with them, it’s exciting to see God lighting them up with truth and understanding. They’re getting to know Jesus and loving it!

 They are also encountering Him personally! Our friend Silas has a condition with his stomach that is often upset leaving him in pain and discomfort. He has to be very careful about his diet. We laid hands on and prayed for him before leaving the campus one week. When we came back the next and asked him about it he lit up, “No! No problems this week!” Praise God!

 Just a little over a week ago, Silas accepted Jesus! and the evidence of the Holy Spirit moving in his life are evident! Talking about hunger? He is reading and even MEMORIZING scripture unprompted by us! This past Sunday I asked him what he read this past week. He quotes to me Jesus’ words in John 6, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life.”

Our friend Time has also accepted Jesus! And His friend Max, who also comes to the Bible study talks about how he can’t stop thinking about Jesus throughout the day!

 God is moving here! I was talking with one of the guys on my team on the bus ride home after meeting with Silas and talking with him about baptism. “God is doing something here this year like I haven’t seen since being in Asia.” It’s like everybody we meet wants to study the Bible with us. It’s happened like that in the past but not to the degree it’s happening this year, or with the sincerity of heart that we’re seeing in our friends this year. It’s amazing! I can’t thank the Lord enough or praise Him enough for everything that He’s doing. I’ll just keep feeding, I guess, and He’ll bring the hungry.  

PRAYER REQUESTS:

 - NEW BELIEVERS. SILAS and TIME. Please be praying that they’d be getting rooted and grounded in their newfound faith in Christ. That God would be doing a work in their hearts, revealing Himself to them in greater measure, keeping them, giving them understanding, revelation, and a continued insatiable HUNGER to know Christ!

- BIBLE STUDIES. For continued fruit and salvations. We feel that there are a couple more who are on the doorstep of salvation: ALLISON, KJ, HENRY. That any doubt or fear or confusion would be cast out in Jesus’ name, and that the King of Glory would be revealed to them and received by them! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Open their ears, God. Open their hearts. Let the veil be lifted in Jesus’ name!

 - That God, in His sovereignty, would continue to bring the hungry to us and us to the hungry. They’re dyin’ to eat.

Sheldon, Columbo, and I just finished up a prayer walk on the campus and were headed to a milk-tea shop to sit down and relax for
a bit. We’d been walking around for about an hour. On the way we saw a crowd of students gathered on the volleyball courts cheering
on what seemed to be some sort of crazy relay race. I felt lead to go and take a look.
We stood and watched as students gathered in teams scooted from one end of the court to the other on blue plastic stools, some
snapping under the shifting weight and getting a laugh from the crowd. One big guy put a crushing end to the career of three stools
before the moderator tripled up his stools for extra support. As the three of us foreigners got a chuckle watching him make his way
and get passed on all sides, the unexpected happened and we’d soon no longer be on-lookers.
Out of one of the lines came a tall, skinny student. The excited grin he had walking over to us asked the question before he even
spoke a word. “Would you like to join us?” he asked. Absolutely! I thought, volunteering Sheldon. After Sheldon finished second to last in the plastic-stool relay race, Columbo and I were ushered onto teams as well and the three of us had a blast joining in the next several events including a balloon popping trivia match, and a blindfolded obstacle course. Apparently there was some sort of point system being awarded per event and I have no idea where my team and I ended up. I did receive some candy, though. That’s a win in my book!

Afterwards gathered with everyone under the large red banner that read, “University Volleyball Association”. With the flash
of the camera, and afterwards confirmed at the dinner afterwards, we became honorary members of the Volleyball Club at our
university! I’ll claim that we’re the first foreigners to have this title until someone proves otherwise. Oh, and we did end up making
it to the milk-tea shop, only then we went with a crowd of about twenty new friends!

Sometimes life here seems so crazy and random, but behind it all God has a plan and a purpose. I really have to be on my toes and
ready for anything! We live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit, right? Sheldon, Columbo, and I have been seeking the
Lord every morning that He would fill us, lead us, and guide us. Above any ministry strategy we can apply is the working of the Holy
Spirit in us and through us. We just have to be willing and flexible to go where He leads.

God is faithful! We’ve been praying for creative opportunities to meet and connect with students and that His favor would be upon us. How He works it all together, I don’t know. But now we’ve had a blast getting connected to the school’s volleyball club! What’s
more is that in this mixed group of students is the sophomore class president! God really does know what He’s doing, doesn’t He?

PRAYER REQUESTS:

- FRUITFUL RELATIONSHIPS. With all of the new friends that we’ve
been making, please be asking that God would be blessing those
relationships and that He’d be giving us wisdom and helping us to
minister to our friends. Pray that we would be able to continue
building relationship with students whose hearts are open to the
gospel and that God would be giving us wisdom in building those
relationships.

- BELIEVERS UNTO DISCIPLES. Please be praying that the believers
we’ve seen come to faith in Christ would want to go deeper in their
relationship with Jesus and their identity in Him. Pray that God
would do a work in their hearts and that they’d respond to the call
of discipleship. Also, pray for wisdom for us for how to disciple
them. Three that are really on my heart are Peter, David, and Amy.
Please be warring for these three with us!

The other night I had a very fruitful time with my friend Peter.  Peter got saved and ba ptized this past winter.  In the months
following before I went back to the States for the summer, he seemed to be distancing himself from me and the guys I was working
with.  It seemed there was always a reason that he wouldn’t come to the Sunday fellowship.  Also, it seemed there was never time for him to meet up with us throughout the week either. Something was up and it felt as if he’d been drifting spiritually. To be honest I wasn’t too confident as to where he’d be when I came back.

I went to a bit of a bummer of an english corner several days ago to try and connect with some students. There was adversity before
the english corner even started. I was late getting back after a long, crowded, traffic-jammed bus ride home from a meeting with the
other CT leaders in the city. Late getting back, I had no time to grab dinner before heading over to the campus to meet up with
Skittles and her friend. I had enough time to bolt up six flights of stairs to my apartment and drop off my stuff. In the ten minutes
I was home, the sprinkle outside had turned into a torrential downpour.  It was raining so hard that it was actually hard to hear
Skittles on the other line as I called hoping there may be some chance the english corner (to be held outside) may be cancelled.
One minute later, I was out the door with my umbrella and into the rainstorm.

The english corner turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment as I was unable to connect with any students. The break-dancing
intro––yep, break-dancing––was even cut short leaving the poor young man shrugging his shoulders in the dark. Mid-routine the
music and lights cut out. Power outage. Cue the hesitant and slightly awkward scattered applause. All this to say that by then the night wasn’t looking promising to be anything magnificent or fruitful, nor was I personally feeling particularly spectacular. I was ready to chalk it up as a good try and go fill my growling belly. Then Peter showed up.
Up until that night I hadn’t been able to connect with him. We left the english corner together and went to eat some barbecue from
a street vendor right outside of the gate of the campus. I was looking forward, even after the already long day just to be able to
sit down with Peter and eat a few  sticks (okay, several sticks) of skewered, grilled, and spiced meat and veggies and hang out. As I ate I listened as he shared about how he’d been doing. His girlfriend decided she didn’t like the english name Aurora so she
changed it to Sophia. Eventually he began to share about the government here. He shared pretty extensively about some thoughts
and feelings he had about his nation’s leadership. Nothing deriding or contemptuous. Just honest observations. He seemed genuinely concerned for his country, aware of some of the problems with the way his country is being run. However, with that there was sense of hope as he shared about leaders he knew of who are making an effort to address the issues he was discussing. Him sharing his heart gave me a better understanding of this nation and the people’s perspective.
 

Then God broke in and began to speak to my heart. God reminded me of His hand in placing leaders in every arena. Then I shared what God’s word says about those in positions of authority and about how God is in charge of that. For every leader He either makes it so, or allows it to be so for them to be in the position they are in.  Furthermore, because of our position in this world and our relationship with God we have the privilege to come before His throne and ask for the right leaders to be put in those places of
authority. What a concept that our prayers can actually affect the leadership of our nation!  Not just a concept, though. Truth.  That
night, Peter got a dose of it.

“Peter, would it be okay if we prayed right now for Asia and that God would put the right leaders in place? I love Asia and I love
the people of Asia and I know you do too. I believe that God feels the same way and wants to see these problems made right. Can we
pray and ask Him to do so and bless this nation?”   “Yes, of course,” he said nodding. Quietly he bowed his head and agreed with me as I prayed.  As I prayed the presence of God fell in our midst and touched both of our hearts! After praying, Peter straightened up and lifted his head revealing a pair of watery eyes. I know God touched Peter’s heart that night.  No matter where he was prior, I feel like Peter is turning in a fresh way towards God and his heart is hungering for a deeper relationship with Jesus.  He even showed up to our Sunday meeting this past week!  Praise God.

PRAYER REQUESTS:
DISCIPLESHIP! Please be praying for our chinese brothers and sisters who received Jesus this past year. Specifically our friends
Peter, Amy, and David. I just have faith that God has some pretty cool stuff for these three this year and I’m hoping to see them
discipled.  Please be asking for wisdom for how to approach discipleship with them and that God would do a work in their hearts
this year. Amen! Thank you!

My first day on campus with Columbo and Sheldon was a huge success.  Walking by a milk-tea house (you may know it in the States as “bubble tea”) we got the “Hey look, foreigners!” look by a group of students. They spot us. We spot them spotting us. Crack knuckles.  Friend making, commence! As we walked over, they were already pulling up three extra chairs while one dude rushed to get us some milk-tea. For over an hour we hung out and chatted and were even able to witness during the time. Oh, and there may or may not have been some dancing involved at one point. I seem to recall a moment after the milk tea that Columbo was asked to demonstrate some dance moves. As our new friend Andy played some pop music out of his cell phone, Columbo entertained us with “the robot”. Domo arigato, Mr. Columbo.

Something I’ve been asking God for is a burden for the Asian students. God’s heart for them is infinitely greater than mine. His burden for them to know Him, to be healed, to be delivered, to be saved is infinitely greater than anything I could ever manufacture on my own. I don’t want to be in Asia with a plastic heart for the people of this nation. I must go to the Source, not to myself, for the love that this work requires. God’s been faithful to respond.

One day I was on campus watching a pick-up basketball game between a red team and a blue team. As I was standing there watching, two guys from the red team came over and stood with me. They were friendly but didn’t speak any English, so we chatted for a bit in their language. After a pause, the taller of the two said something to me that at first I didn’t get. Putting his hands prayerfully in front of his face, he tells me again that he’s a Buddhist.

“Really? I ask.” He confirmed with a nod. “What about all of them?” I said motioning to the rest of his team. Nodding, he mimicked and motioned to the rest of them. “Do you all live together?” I asked wondering if they were a part of a monastery. Again, he nodded.

After their game ended, Columbo, Sheldon, and I got to play for a bit with them. The three of us and a team of Buddhists. On the bus ride back to our apartment, I thought about the day. What a clear picture of why we’ve been sent here! We are lights in a dark place. The reality of that was played out on the basketball court that afternoon. While the game was fun, I definitely left campus thatday with a greater burden for the people, and an energized sense of God’s heart for the people of this nation.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• That we would be meeting students who are “good soil”. We’re
asking for hearts that are open to God, and that He’d be bringing
them into our lives. We’re seeking those who are hungry and thirsty
for Him, that He’s prepared for us.

• Wisdom and direction for our church plant, and that disciples
would be raised up. I’m seeking God for direction for where to go
with our Sunday meetings. Also, we’re asking God to stir in the
hearts of the believers here a greater hunger to know Him and
follow Him. We want to see them respond to the call of
discipleship.

• My finances. I came into the country short on what I needed to
raise for the upfront expenses of coming into the country. Please
ask for that to come in for me as I’m believing for His blessing
and financial provision.

It’s funny how the hardest times to decide what to eat are when
you’re really hungry. I think to myself, “I don’t want to waste
this hunger on anything less than the perfect meal right now!”
That’s just me though. So I continued my walk of indecision around
the block, passing noodle-shops, restaurants, dumpling stands,
street barbecue vendors, and about every other meal option you
could think of. Options-a-plenty I couldn’t decide on one! O, the
torment!

Coming back around to the vicinity of the front gate of my
apartment, I gave in and just forced a decision. Feet tired, I
traipsed into a tiny shao kao fried rice restaurant. Barbecued meat
and vegetables spiced up in local custom, then thrown on a skillet
and tossed together with some rice and other seasonings. Take my
word, it’s pretty delicious.

After over an hour walk of hungry hunting, I sat in the shop and
waited for my take-out. On the sidewalk in front of the shop sat a
couple other patrons, huddled over a small table on little pink
plastic stools. Looking out, I noticed a light rain beginning to
fall. Picking up their plate of food, the man and woman seated
outside came in for shelter and sat at a table in the back.

A minute or two passed, and the man––mid-thirties maybe––came and sat across from me. “Hi,” he said, “where are you from?” Surprised
by his english I began to chat with him while I waited for my food.
After a couple of minutes of the usual questions––Where are you
from? Are you a student? How long have you been in China? Do you
like the food?––the conversation got very interesting.

“Do you believe. . . in Jesus?” he asked quietly. I replied, of
course, that I do. “Do you?” I asked. “Yes, I do!” he exclaimed.

For the next several minutes he shared how he would really like to
study the Bible with me and about his experience with the
difficulties of finding other christians to, in his words, “enjoy
the Bible with”. Thoroughly enjoying his eagerness and hunger, I
felt a little sad that I’d be leaving to go back to the States
soon. Sharing this with him, his response was, “That’s okay, we can
when you come back!”

Exchanging numbers, I realized I hadn’t got his name as I went to
enter it into my contacts. “My name is Moxi [pronounced muo-shee;
chinese for Moses],” he said.

“You’re name is Moses?” I laughed.

“Yes, Moses.”

“My name is Aaron!” We both burst out in laughter in the tiny shop.
“Hello, my brother!” he chuckled.

This was a fun moment. For one thing, I wandered all around my
neighborhood for a long time looking trying to decide on a place to
eat. Of all the places I saw, the Lord led me to this one. Also, if
it hadn’t started to rain, he doesn’t come in the shop and meet me.
I believe this was a divine appointment and that God has a plan for
it! The sovereignty of God amazes me!

I was also humbled by this. Getting back to my apartment, the Lord
put something on my heart. Sometimes, when things like this happen
we thank God that it’s an answer to our prayers. Yes that may be
the case, most of the time and even in this time. But what God put
on my heart as I took off my shoes was that this wasn’t an answer
to my prayer. This was an answer to Moses’.

In my heart, I was like, “Wow, God. That’s so true. You don’t just
listen to me. You’re not just interested in my prayers alone.
There’s other people. There’s Moses, whose probably been asking you
for somebody to study the Bible with.” It’s true, sometimes I
forget. It’s not just about me and what I want. Sometimes I forget
that. Sometimes I forget God doesn’t just want to bless me, but He
also wants me to be a blessing. Sometimes I think I need to stop
asking God for blessing, and remember to ask that He’d use me to
bless! God let me be a blessing! Use me, God!

This was a reminder for me and let me encourage you with it as
well. It’s good to ask God for things and He desires for us to do
that. Let’s walk knowing that we can go to God and receive from
Him. But, let’s also walk with a heart that says, “Okay, Lord, how
can I be a blessing today? Help me to be a blessing! Can I bless
someone today, God?!” Be encouraged! Be a blessing!

In Him,

Acorn

Believe with me,

Acorn

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Please be lifting up our Sunday meetings, that God would continue
to move in mighty ways in our midst and that we’d continue to see
fruit unto His glory!

• Please be lifting up our new believers, that they’d be
strengthened in their faith, and hungry, passionate to know Jesus!

• Please be lifting up my team, that we’d be able to maintain unity
and love for one another as we progress in what God is doing in our
midst!

• Please be lifting up my finances, that I’d be strengthened in
trust and in perfect peace of God’s provision!

Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve been up to! . . .

Winter Break.

While our friends headed home for their Spring Festival holiday
(the chinese celebration of their lunar new year) all of us CT-ers
headed to Thailand for our annual ministry retreat! This is always
a refreshing and powerful time for us to be ministered to by some
guest speakers, and one another.  We had a powerful minister from
Singapore come and impart a fresh fire in our spirits and I’m we
all left hungrier than ever to see God move in us and through us!

This year’s highlight for me was my day in the canopy of the Thai
jungle. While I didn’t have any run-ins with any monkeys as I zip-
lined through a cable course with a bunch of other CT-ers, I did
have a run in with something close: Mr. Boston. He was our “Jungle
Flight” tour guide with a mohawk and a taste for crazy. Throughout
the day he would shirk his Thai accent and attempt his best
Bostonian accent allowing us to critique his “Pahk the cah in tha
pahkin laht.” Then he would zip away hanging upside down like
spiderman.

After Thailand, I returned back to the Du with the rest of the team
here. With a couple weeks before our friends would return to the
campuses, we had some speakers come in and minister to us for our
second annual “Winter-session”. This was a time in which the Lord
brought a word of grace and sonship. It was powerful! I’m still
chewing on it to this day. As we’re over here to make disciples,
this is the foundation that MUST be built upon–God’s grace and
love! I know in some ways I still just don’t fully get it. Teach
me, Lord!

Picking Back Up.

A few weeks ago our friends said farewell to their family and
hometowns and flooded back to the campus. One after another, we
began to receive text messages from friends wanting to let us know
they were back in town. We were ready for them! Especially our new
brothers and sisters.

Before they came back I had an exciting meeting with my team during which we strategized together to plant a church! Finishing up the previous semester with a handful of new-believers we really felt
like we could see a baby church formed and gathering together by
the end of this semester!

So for the past two Sundays we’ve been gathering together to share
testimonies, worship, and pray together. During our last meeting,
Autumn and Skittles along with another chinese new-believer, led
their friend Amy to Christ! Praise God! We also saw our friend
Peter receive Christ a few weeks ago as well!

We’re starting simple, but we’re believing that this baby-church is
going to continue to multiply and grow and become a thriving
student-led body of believers! I believe that the vision that we
came here with––to see a multiplying church planted on our
campus––is being realized! Right now it’s a mustard seed, but such
is the kingdom of God! I can’t wait to see what the Lord does as he
continues to breath on what is happening here!

The afternoon my team and I had the strategy meeting to plant the
church, I was praying in my room about it and dreaming with the
Lord about it. I was half-joking with myself things like what we
could call it, “What would we name this church?” It was just light-
hearted until the Lord actually dropped a word in my heart
concerning that: Prevail. The dictionary on my computer gives this
definition: “Prevail – (v.) Prove more powerful than opposing
forces; be victorious.” Whoa!!! That’s good, Lord! I like it!
Prevail!

Adversity.

In the midst of what God is doing, we have seen some adversity. Our
friends Li Yang and Yang Zhi Hao (Boanerges from a previous blog of
mine) have come back from break with a discouraging report. As they shared their new-found faith with their families, both were met
with strong disapproval. We had some dinner with them to catch up
on things and they shared about how their families had received
them.

My heart was broken as they shared how they are not going to
continue to pursue the Lord or study the Bible. Li Yang has decided
that he feels he needs more “life experience” before he can make a
decision to follow Jesus. Yang Zhi Hao shared that his father has
forbidden him from studying the Bible and he’s going to honor
father in that.

They’re still open to hanging out and spending time with us, but
they won’t be coming to any meetings that we’ll have or study the
Bible with us.

Please be praying for these two! I know God has a plan for these
two, and the opposition only convinces me more of that! Continue to
believe with me for God’s will for them to be done and that they’d
be powerful tools in His hand for His kingdom!

I think that about catches you all up on the major goings on here
on the other side of the world! Thank you guys again so much for
your faithful prayers and support! Please be praying for us, the
church, and our friends!

Prevailing in Christ,

Acorn

            We weren’t there to play ma-jiang. Several days had passed since Li Yang had accepted Jesus. Busy with studies and preparing for final exams, aside from a quick dinner, this was the first opportunity we had to meet up with Li Yang since he had become a Christian and we wanted to talk with him about being baptized. He brought along his friend and roommate Yang Zhi Hao, who had also been coming to our weekly Bible study.

            Huddled around the table, Rocky, Hans, and I taught Li Yang about baptism. As we sipped our tea in the drab unheated room, the words of renewal, redemption, life and salvation seemed all the brighter.

            In this dingy, cold room eternal life was about to spring forth. After discussing baptism with Li Yang for about an hour while Yang Zhi Hao listened in we were sitting around and talking about when he would have time to do it. Yang Zhi Hao then chimed in, “So what do we need to bring?” “We?”, I thought to myself. At that point, Rocky, across the table from me, perked up and asked Yang Zhi Hao if he had ever prayed and asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. “No,” he replied. 

            After a brief discussion confirming his faith, Hans lead Yang Zhi Hao in a prayer to receive Jesus! Praise the Lord! “I believe the Bible and I believe in Jesus. . . God is my guide for the rest of my life,” he confessed after praying! Hallelujah!

            Wow, this is really exciting! These guys are roommates, best friends, and freshman. Not only for the obvious reason of their salvation is this exciting, but for them to get saved pretty much at the same time, to get baptized together, to live together, and already have good relationship with one another this is an ideal situation for them to grow together strengthen one another in their faith! In a place where there aren’t many Christians, for them to be able experience this together is a really big deal. They are both so genuine and ready to follow Jesus, and they can do it together! God is good and has an incredible plan for these two!

            Personally, I just have great faith for what God wants to do with these two in the place he has them. The potential in their dorm and in their campus is so huge! I remember even just a couple months ago praying that the Lord would save these two and raise them up together as “sons of thunder” as Jesus calls James and John. I just believe that these two guys will be a powerful witness and will have a thunderous impact on to those around them!

Praise Him!

 Acorn

My point is that sometimes things are already prepared for you. All
you have to do is take it that last step to make it into a delicious breakfast.

My  friend Ken, a student at the university, reminds me a
lot of instant oatmeal. Rocky, Hans and I have only met with him a
few times. Rocky and Hans met him at an english corner before
Christmas and invited him to our party. I met him for the first
time at that party and was able to chat with him for a bit. What I
found was a package of instant oatmeal.

In short, he had lived in the States as an exchange student and
lived with a family of believers. He would go to church with them
every Sunday but had never made a decision to receive Christ. Upon
coming back to Asia, he realized how much he missed going to
church. He felt God close then, but not since being back. He wanted
to know God. Time to add the water!

Due to a busy time of studies and exams, he was pretty much
unavailable until the day before he left to go home for beak. I was
away for the afternoon but came home in time to greet my new
brother in Christ. Rocky and Hans spent the afternoon with him and
shared the Good News with him again and answered some questions he
had. In the end, Ken got saved! That’s some good oatmeal!

It’s been quite a finish to the semester over here! Our friends are
trickling back to there hometowns and every day the campus grows
more and more quiet. But that hasn’t stopped God from continuing to
move! Last Sunday we had a baptism party for some of our new
believers. A few days ago Ken got saved. We’ve even had some new
friends decide they’d like to come to our Bible studies when they
get back! God is on the move and I can’t wait to see what lies
ahead!

Acorn

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Please be praying for the new believers! They’ll be home until
the end of February on break for Spring Festival. We’ll be in
contact with them as much as we can, but we’re believing for the
Holy Spirit to be teaching, guiding, strengthening, edifying, and
preserving their faith!
Guys:
Li Yang
Yang Zhi Hao
Ken

Girls:
Yvonne
Yang Zai Jing
Helen
Sophia

2. Please pray for wisdom for me! As the team leader, I’ll be
responsible for making the decisions as far as planting a church on
the campus. Turns out, I’ve never done that before! I’m trusting in
God to lead and provide wisdom in that.

3. Please be praying for our unsaved friends as well!
Guys:
King
David
Wen Bing
Jack
Gary
Yang Ming
Peter Huang

Bless you guys! Much love in Christ!