Around the World in One Campus
Jessica Wicks reports from Chicago
Thursday, July 3
A goal of the Chicago Summer Project is to help launch or build Campus Crusade ministries on college campuses in Chicago.
One way we've gone about doing this is by simply initiating conversations with college students. Students and staff members, who are working on 6 different campuses, have talked to hundreds of students this summer.
And we've spoken with people from all around the world at the University of Illinois at Chicago (or UIC), a school where many international students study.
The other day my husband, Mark, and Doug, a student he is mentoring this summer, approached 3 students to ask them questions about UIC as well as about their spiritual backgrounds. Two are from Saudi Arabia and one is from Namibia.
The 3 students explained that they only had 20 minutes before needing to leave for class. But when 20 minutes passed, Fahim (*not his real name) decided to stay and continue talking.
He was very interested in learning more about Christianity. His great questions made it simple for Mark and Doug to share the gospel with him.
Fahim had never talked with a Christian who was living out a relationship with Christ. They were able to tell him things about Christ that he had never heard before.
What started as a 20-minute conversation ended up being a 3-hour dialogue and the beginning of a friendship.
Later that night Mark got an e-mail from Fahim.
"Hello Mark,
I would like to thank you for your time and for being patient with all my questions. I am very pleased that I finally have a good start in which Bible I should take a look at. I will check it when I get a chance since I am currently busy applying to graduate schools.
It has been my pleasure to meet a wonderful person like you. I hope we meet again soon.
God bless you. Best regards,
Fahim"
Today Mark and Fahim are meeting again to talk about God and the Bible.
Following Jesus in the Congo