An Update from WA!

An Update from WA!

Seattle!

I'm currently writing this ministry update from Bellingham, Washington! Every year, we bring students who show leadership potential to Bellingham, Washington to the Student Institute of Campus Ministry (SICM). The students attending SICM get intensive campus ministry and leadership training and see campus ministry at work at Western Washington. 

The first two days of the trip, we take students to various parts of Seattle and Bellingham! This is the first time many of these students have been to the pacific northwest so the huge trees, mountains, and ocean views are such a cool experience for them.

This time is not just about sight-seeing. These first few days are so valuable for building relationships between the students and staff, and between the students. Campus ministry is very relational. When these leaders arrive on their campuses in the fall, they will be initiating, befriending and reaching out to their peers. What better practice than with each other?

A ferry to Bainbridge Island

Larrabee State Park, Bellingham, WA

Peace Arch Park (Border of Canada/USA)

Our students started their classes yesterday! The campus ministry here, Campus Christian Fellowship (CCF), has been doing ministry at Western Washington University for 47 years. Their staff has valuable ministry experience that they teach to our students this week. These classes have been described as a drink from a fire hydrant on a hot summer day. It's refreshing and life-giving, but is so much! Our students are encouraged to take intensive notes and reflect back on the lessons they are taught in the coming months. 

The start of classes!

Would you be praying for the students and staff this week? Please be praying for the Spirit to be teaching them and working their hearts this week. Please pray that they would be able to take in all that God is teaching them this week through the classes, their peers, and their host families. Praise God for the safe travels of the 136 people who came to SICM this year and for the generosity of the families here in Bellingham who are housing and feeds our students and staff this week - FOR FREE! Praise God for the sweet relationship he has formed between our ministry in Texas and CCF in Washington!

Student Testimony

Bekwele Wodi

Texas Woman’s University

Psychology

Sophomore

"I first became involved with FOCUS when I was just starting out at Collin College. I had been living in Nigeria for a few years, so I was walking into a college experience where I didn’t know anyone. I worried a lot about not being able to find any meaningful friendships while I was there. So it came as a surprise when some old friends of mine, Loré and Gibby Yessuff, invited me to a Thursday Night Fellowship. From that first night of fellowship, I made more friends than I could have prayed for. People asked me to sit with them, scheduled time to hang out with me, got to know me, and challenged me as a disciple. It became clear to me that this was not only an example of authentic Christian community; this was the way Jesus called us to do friendships—intentional, genuine and loving.

Through the many friendships I’ve been blessed with in FOCUS, God has changed my fear and worry of not having any friends into a desire to grow and develop friendships at TWU. I am beyond thankful when I see what he is doing in the lives of students here and for the example of Christian friendship that I’m now able to extend to others."