Boston- One month away!

We're back! We hope you all had a good, short Thanksgiving break. We got to spend the holiday with both families and really enjoyed our time with them.

We are also gearing up for our last few weeks on campus for the semester. Now is the time when we finish up with students for the semester and prepare them to continue walking with the Lord over the break. One way we encourage them is to attend the Boston Winter Conference from January 2-6, 2010. By now, many of you know of this conference. Check out the video promo on youtube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXFRwp1G5mE

Last year, we had five students attend from the Capital Region. We are praying (and invite you to pray with us) for so many more this year! The BWC is a great place where significant, eternal decisions are made on how students are going to live their lives for the Lord. Please pray for us and students over the next few weeks as we continue to encourage them to make this decision to go that could impact the rest of their lives! Please also pray for them as they head into finals- that their focus on the Lord would remain strong and He would be their strength!

Cross '09 Pictures

We've added some pictures from Cross '09! Please continue to pray for these students and their communities. We hope this gives you a greater vision for what took place (and continues to take place) in NYC during that week, as a result of crossing cultures...just as Jesus did.

http://picasaweb.google.com/cccnehq/Cross09NYC?feat=content_notification#

Happy Thanksgiving!

As I write this entry, we are 2 days away from our annual staff conference at Camp of the Woods in Speculator, NY. Jen and I are looking forward to this relaxing time with fellow staff members and friends. It will be a good time of rest and encouragement with others who are laboring for Christ on college campuses. We had an amazing experience in New York City for Cross 09. NYC is such a diverse place and a great place to learn about today's culture. On many campuses in NYC, white students are a minority. That's a huge difference from campuses in the Capital Region. Jen and I spent a day at St. John's University in Queens with a staff member from KCCC (Korean Campus Crusade for Christ). We were so encouraged to find out that there are 43 students helping to build up other stduents in their relationship with God. This means that there are many more who are sharing their faith with the rest of the campus. What an awesome work that God is doing there! It was very encouraging for both Jen and I. As we head off to staff conference and then Thanksgiving, we get ready for the few weeks of the semester. These last weeks in December are packed. God is moving and it is exciting! Happy Thanksgiving!

International Students

Did you know that there are 130 million college students in the world? Together they equal the population of the 10th largest country.

750,000 of the 18 million college students in America are from other countries.

As I think about this statistic more and more, it makes me so thankful that Jen has had the opportunity to invest in the lives of international student women. There is such a large international student population at UAlbany. Internationals come to the U.S. for school and to have a "new experience." They are so open to hearing the Gospel. We find that as they trust Christ and grow in their relationship with Him, they have a burning desire for people in their own country to know Jesus. Many take the Gospel back to their own country. We an opportunity for the Gospel to go to the ends of the earth! Please continue to pray for the international student ministry going on in the Capital Region.

Don't forget! Next week, Jen and I (and other staff members throughout the U.S.) will head to NYC to engage with different cultures for Cross 09. We will leave Sunday and return on Wednesday. Please pray for us and this event!