Category: Engage People (Page 9 of 15)

Engage People of All Cultures and Ethnicities

News From the Ends of the State

May 15, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

In April, the Kansas Area staff team took an exploratory tour of western Kansas college campuses. They checked out campus bookstores, talked to random students, learned about other student organizations, and asked God to bless and work at each school. They even met with some administrators who expressed eagerness in welcoming InterVarsity to campus.

As exciting as many of the stops were, it was also humbling as they realized that some of these campuses are five hours away from the nearest InterVarsity staff. At the trip’s end, they once again recognized how powerless we are to see the gospel go forward in our own strength.

Yet, we serve a God who can find a way to spread His good news, even to the furthest western parts of Kansas! Please continue to pray with the Kansas team as they ask God to plant a witnessing community at every one of these ten campuses. If you have a contact (student, staff, faculty, or community member) for one of the campuses, please let me know.

Camping that Changes Lives

May 3, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Every May, international students who are studying at campuses around the region make their way to a camp on the edge of the Lake of the Ozarks. Here they boat, swim, have campfires and learn about Jesus. International Getaway 2017 runs from May 12-16^th and the region is hoping to have more attendees from more schools then ever before.

Most of the students who attend this conference are not yet followers of Jesus and so the weekend is crucial for them to spend time (sometimes for the first time) in scripture, ask questions and build friendships with believers. If you would like more details as this incredible conference takes place, sign up to partner with us in prayer.

Advancing

May 1, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

We are experiencing the kingdom of God advancing on the campuses of the Central Region.

I am privileged to lead a team that champions work in corners of the campus – Asian, Black, International, and Latino. As I heard their dreams for each corner in our recent meeting, I was excited how they were calling us to move forward.

Vision was shared for every chapter reaching at least 5 international students, expanding our South and Southeast Asian American leadership, raising scores Black apprentices, and fully funding the largest Latino staff area in the country.

By God’s grace and inspiration our staff are leading us to deepen our engagement in each corner as we work to see students in every corner of the campus say yes to Jesus.

To the Ends of the State

April 24, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

1,900 miles - 3 days - 2 cars
10 campuses

For the next three days (Apr 24-26), the Kansas Area team will be exploring and praying on every campus in the western half of Kansas! We are inspired by Acts 1:8 “… you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We have seen God work miracles in Kansas City, in all of Lawrence and Manhattan, and now, we desire to see God work #totheendsofthestate!

Will you join with us in prayer as the staff visit these campuses? They will be posting pictures at every campus and a summary post at the end of each day on Facebook. Be sure to follow #totheendsofthestate to find out the latest news!

If you have contacts on any of these campuses, please let me know.

Always at Work

April 20, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Sometimes it can be difficult to remember that God continues working even when we can not. InterVarsity staff, Andi Hendred, was reminded of this in a powerful way recently.

Andi first met Rachel a couple of years ago on one of the community college campuses in St Louis. She quickly got involved with the International Friends group there and attended most of their discussions on the life of Jesus. Rachel seemed very eager to learn about Jesus so Andi was surprised when she stopped attending the group and responding to her attempts to reach out.

After about eight months of not seeing or hearing from her, Andi ran into Rachel on another campus. In that time, Rachel had connected with a local church and even started hosting their prayer meetings in her home. Due to the testimonies of many from that church community, she got a glimpse of what it looks like to be from her country and follow Jesus.

This fall, Andi started meeting regularly with Rachel again to discuss the life of Jesus, pray together, and share how God is at work in their lives. At one of their meetings last month, she shared that she has started following Jesus and is planning to be baptized. Praise God for his continued work in the lives of those around us!

Can We Borrow Some Chairs?

April 3, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

“It started with just us three … but now there are so many coming we have to borrow more chairs from our neighbor!” exclaimed Kansas University student, Alberto, to his InterVarsity staff. After encouragement to start new things among his friends on campus, Alberto launched a Latin American prayer group. In just four weeks the group has grown from three students to twelve that meet to read scripture and pray in their native language of Spanish.

The students are internationals from many countries, including Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Some are Christian while others are not or have become distant in their relationship with Jesus. It is exciting to see student leadership creating a place for Spanish-speaking international students to connect with God.

When Jesus Walks in the Room

March 23, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

Putting himself and students into more risky situations is what InterVarsity Staff, Brenden Graczak, felt called to do as he prayed in January. In response to this invitation, Brenden decided to trust Jesus by leading his international student chapters through a form of listening prayer. Brenden guided 27 students in St Louis through questions that helped them visualize Jesus walking into the room and conversing with them them about hurt and pain in their lives.

Many students had powerful experiences during the prayer time, especially one woman from a North African country. She has been studying the Bible and gaining trust with Jesus and during the prayer time she saw him approach her dressed in white and shining with bright light. Although she holds closely to another religion, Brenden is praying that this experience will break down some of the remaining barriers to her following Jesus.

Risky Friendship

March 13, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

“I took a big risk this past week! I shared the gospel with someone I know!” Haleemah, a student that InterVarsity staff Erica Li mentors at St Louis Community College, is normally very bold in sharing her faith, but mostly with people she won’t see again. After the evangelism training she attended two weeks ago, she felt challenged to share the gospel in an ongoing relationship.

Last week, she met up with a high school friend who goes to her college as well. As the conversation unfolded, she saw a clear connection between her friend’s current struggles and the healing that Jesus offers.

Haleemah shared the gospel and asked her friend to consider following Jesus. She said no, but, Haleemah courageously invited her into continued community – one of the places where she is learning to trust Jesus the most right now in her life. They plan to meet up to do an investigative Bible study on Jesus, women, and how to develop self-confidence.

Photo Credit: gianghoàng2 Flickr via Compfight cc

Questioning God

March 9, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

“If you go to heaven when you are a Christian, why not just kill yourself now?” David, an international student at the University of Missouri, asked God recently. Last semester, David spent time studying the Bible with InterVarsity staff, Megan Leong, and attending a local Chinese church. Lately, he has started praying to God and asking him his questions.

To his surprise, God has been answering him through people in his life. For instance, the same night David asked God why Christians don’t kill themselves to go to heaven sooner, a church friend texted him an answer without even knowing his question.

God is moving in David’s heart. While he says he doesn’t have enough confidence to say yes to believing in Jesus right now, Megan can definitely see it happening soon.

19 Years in the Making

February 13, 2017 / Howie Meloch / 0 Comments

If you had told 22-year-old Howie he’d one day be attending a 400 person conference primarily consisting of the region’s Black, Asian and Latino movements, he probably would have laughed. Or cried. And yet, two weeks ago, I found myself in the ballroom of a hotel in Kansas City listening to Black, Latina, White, and Asian American staff issue a call out of Revelation to students from these corners to reach all of their campus.

I spent much of my sabbatical reflecting on my time on staff so far and what it looks like to empower students from every corner. It has long been a dream of mine to create a space where all students can know they are seen and heard. There were times early in my staff career when I hesitated to even invite black students to certain events for fear they would not feel welcome.

Two years ago, our region choose to embrace the cross-cultural call of Acts 1:8 and has been making this a ministry priority. As I returned from sabbatical and found so many staff working together to make this conference a success, I was struck by how much this commitment to ministry in the corners has transformed our region. Seeing this long-time dream of mine realized is an amazing way to step into this season.

1,900 miles - 3 days - 2 cars 10 campuses

1,900 miles - 3 days - 2 cars
10 campuses