Three Favorite Emails: Alec Hill

Like all of you, I have received tons of email this fall. These three messages are my favorites, because they illustrate how God is using our staff to bring students to Christ.

From Andrea Thomas, Red River
Two months ago, 23-year-old Nick Dombrowski moved to Edinburg, Texas – 20 miles from the Mexican border – to plant a Latino chapter at the University of Texas—Pan American (UTPA). As co-regional director, Andrea Thomas observed that Nick’s call was “unlikely for a guy of Polish descent from a small town in Michigan.” Yet, as she also said, “Scripture reminds us that God uses whomever He chooses.”

Nick is part of the National Chapter Planting Cohort launched last summer. Since UTPA is the second largest Latino school in the nation, it was an obvious candidate for a new InterVarsity chapter.

During his first week at UTPA, Nick felt compelled to pray in the campus chapel. There he met Carlos, a new Christian, who was simultaneously asking God for fellowship that would be more than “just a Christian social club.” God has answered both of their prayers.

Today, 30 students are involved in the new chapter, three strong Bible studies have been organized, and five students are planning to attend Urbana. I laughed when I read that Nick’s proposed goal of two new converts this semester was soundly rejected by student leaders who said “That’s not enough” and committed to praying for seven.

Above photo: UTPA chapter leaders: Nick D., second from left and Carlos, on far right.

From York Moore, Great Lakes East
The subject line on the email – 52 Come to Christ in the D – immediately caught my attention. During a week-long outreach at Oakland University in Detroit, large numbers of students became followers of Jesus. The mission included a partnership with World Vision on AIDS awareness, proxe stations all over campus, conversational evangelism, large events (such as Deal or No Deal), and the use of an outdoor tent.

What amazes me is the range of students impacted: fraternity brothers, African Americans, athletes, commuters, and bubble tea drinkers. One student became so excited about her new-found faith that she went straight home and led her sister to the Lord.

Please pray for similar events to be held in Pittsburgh, PA, and at UCLA in upcoming months. Jim Lundgren, vice president of Collegiate Ministries, observes that he has never seen this kind of widespread harvesting during his 30-plus years on staff.

A new Oakland University believer at a proxe station.

From Jeff Pearson, Southern California
Over 1,000 students participated in the University of California—San Diego (UCSD) chapter’s New Student Outreach. An additional 200 participated in a luau party later that week. Jeff wrote, “All of that hard work of welcoming new students paid off when over 480 students showed up for our first large group meeting.”

In the first month of the new school year, 43 UCSD students became Christians! And the international student ministry has exploded from 25 people last year to 60 this fall. No wonder Jeff noted, “This response overwhelmed our follow-up system, and we have been scrambling ever since. God has been breaking through. Personally, this has been a season of breakthrough for me as God continues to surprise me and surpass all my expectations.”

May we honor Him and “live for the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:12).

Students lining up for hot dogs at New Student Outreach

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