Going Out from Among Us

What kind of challenge can you provide for a guy who sets his cell alarm for 10:40 as a (twice) daily reminder to pray for the 10/40 Window* . . . who committed 40 days to pray for the world’s 40 largest unreached people groups . . . whose conversation seamlessly references God’s Word, over and over and over again?

All this and more exudes from the heart of 23 year old Josh F, a 2012 UNH graduate and leader of the 2013-14 Cru Northeast Stint Team to the Middle East.  Josh agreed to meet me at a NH Starbucks, where he’d previously held a part-time position. Right from the “get-go” Josh impressed me as a rather exceptional young man.  Standing in line for our latte and sandwich, the barista and shift manager recognized Josh, asking about his impending mission, their voices animated with respect and admiration.  For the next hour or so, Josh and I delved into his story.  It was hard to miss this guy’s passion, giftedness, and readiness to bring Gospel life to students in a culture quite different from his own.  In just a few short weeks Josh and his team will be situated on the other side of the world, and he can hardly wait to get there.

Josh’s journey to the Middle East begins with a childhood faith that withstood the onslaught of High School pressures- thrived, in fact - so that by his freshman year at UNH this 18-year-old was ready to take on ministry responsibilities with Cru.  From there God began to burden Josh’s heart beyond his campus to the world . . . then even more specifically, to unreached people groups.

Somewhere along the way, Josh found out about Stint, Cru’s strategy for developing ministries on campuses around the world where none currently exist.  His senior year, Josh determined to Stint immediately following graduation.  Other forces intervened, however.

“I had to do a summer internship for my Exercise Science major, so after that I ended up working at Starbucks and as a part-time Cru intern at UNH.”   Being part of the UNH Cru staff team impressed Josh deeply.  He feels he now has a better foundation for how a team should work.  

So what do you do with a guy like Josh?  What would we do were it not for Stint?  Thankfully, Cru’s strategy encompasses not only WINNING and BUILDING students, but also SENDING them to befriend, engage and share Christ on campuses worldwide where there is no visible Gospel presence - as yet.   With recent grads like Josh going, giving themselves to be shaped, filled, and used by God over this next year, the potential for impact is very real and very exciting.

* The 10/40 window represents the largest concentration of unreached people groups - they are located between latitudes 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north of the equator.

-Susie Richardson

A Tale of Two Citizens

A Tale of Two Citizens  or ...

Cru, Terrorism and the Mafia

This past April much of the world was riveted by the fatal bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  The subsequent manhunt in and lockdown of the nation’s 5th largest metropolitan area was like a reality crime movie.  Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was apprehended, bleeding, hiding inside a boat on the north side of the city.  

We learned that Dzhokhar was a student at UMass Dartmouth, where there is a growing Cru movement.  The college had been evacuated as federal agents searched Dzhokhar’s dorm room for clues, weapons et al.  We were reminded of another UMD student ...

Two years ago, a sophomore named “Goose” began hanging out with Cru students at UMD after a few of them had an initial spiritual conversation with him in the dining hall.  Goose eventually came along with them to the Epicenter Winter Conference in Jan. 2012.  During Epicenter, with the encouragement of his friends, Goose put his trust in Christ.  Through a session in the conference where he learned to tell the story of his personal faith journey, this young believer came to grips with abuse he’d experienced all his life from his father.  Goose began the process of forgiving his dad.  

Goose began to grow in Christ, continuing to take steps of obedience as he experienced more forgiveness and grace.  Last winter Matt L, a staff member at UMD, was surprised to find Goose knocking at his door early one morning, at a time much earlier than college students are ever up and about.  Goose told Matt he wanted to get out of the Mafia.  What?!  Cru has specialized in training over the years.  We have manuals and booklets teaching How to Share Your Faith, How to Pray, How to Study the Bible.  But we didn’t seem to have a copy of How to Get Out of the Mafia.  

Goose had been born into the Providence Mafia.  Now that he was learning about the Gospel, he wanted to get out, but didn’t know how.  The Mafia is like the Hotel California - you can check in any time you want, but you can never leave.  Many, many of us were praying for Goose and for the Christian students rallying around him.  A couple of months later, Goose knocked on Matt’s door for a second early morning wake-up.  This time, Goose was bruised and beaten up, but had a slight smile on his face.  He told Matt, “They let me go!”  Goose had to meet with the bosses, was questioned intensely, given a thrashing ... and then released!

Two students on the same college campus started out the same in many ways.  Both needed a place to belong and needed that community to offer them not only relationships but also a purpose greater than themselves.  Because of the community they found and the mission they were invited into, one is now trapped in bondage, violence and death.  The other has been liberated into real life and hope.  Through Christ and His loving followers, Goose found the courage to do what’s right.  Through the misguided messages of a false community, Dzhokhar sank deeper into fear and evil.  

The earthly circumstances and events of most college students don’t end up on CNN.

But the choices made are real and lasting. 

Thank you for your role in helping to move students closer to life in Christ and away from the kingdom of darkness.