There’s something special about spending time with the Campus Target first year workers when they get home. They’re obviously close to each other – the hours of card-playing and laughter during free times makes that obvious – but there are deeper changes as well.
I (Wesley) had a conversation with one young guy on the team who grew tremendously in Asia. He went over in August full of enthusiasm to reach people, and he stepped out boldly throughout the year, but he also had some personal issues that he wasn’t aware of. He didn’t see them initially – isn’t that how our blind spots usually are? – but through the loving input of his leaders and peers, he became aware of how he was affecting the people around him. He made great progress throughout the year, and now he’s an even more mature man of God, excited to serve long-term in Asia.
Every one of the team has similar stories of personal growth and stepping out to see God move. Some of the change is external and public, and other change is on the inside and only seen by a few people. But it’s all encouraging to me, knowing that these young men and women stepped out in boldness, saw God move in the lives of their friends, and at the same time they grew tremendously in the Lord.
Also exciting for me was staying as a family at the campground where we did Debrief. It’s a great strength for me to have Buttercup’s support as I work, because we know this is our calling together, even though she is at home with our son. I love having her involved with the team, even if life looks different now that we’re a family of three.
Please continue to lift up the team both here in the US and overseas. Our long-term workers in Asia just finished a retreat and are back on the campuses; the recently-returned team is having all sorts of highs and lows and cultural adjustments as they come back; and the new team getting ready for August is in the middle of support raising and taking care of a myriad of details.
Thank you so much for standing with us, and please let us know how you’re doing!