When you are looking for people of peace(POP’s), you find them. Or at least it seemed that way this week. the Big Howdy party was remarkable on many levels. We had our usual 500-600 people. We had our usual 200 volunteers. (all amazing blessings from God) But it seemed like more Americans (students and volunteers) were mingling and really connecting with more international students than any other year. Then Friday night was huge as we expanded to two groups. We still had any very open kids again many POP experiences.

The UTA Big Howdy was a huge success on many levels (see videos and pictures) the namesake party was a huge blessings to so many students (they said so themselves) and we had so many Spiritually geared conversations. A student asked about why the American kids were so kind and open and how was it that we were able to organize such a special events. I was able to share the story of the feeding of the 5000 and how the food and everything is almost every year something similar, an exercise in faith. Huge kudos to Ron and the team to putting it all together.

We recently heard a story from a volunteer who shared that they have been able to take their friendship partner  student to church with them and recently that student brought 13 friends and several kids along from the same program. On coming there, ten signed up for a Bible study in preparation for the movieCourageous, (by the people who did Facing the Giants) about being a better father. Further a discussion on ESL programs for the students’ wives came up and the ladies of the church offered to look into starting a special one for them and inquired to us about that.

The Friday night groups at our house continued to be huge with 50+ people even after we expanded to two groups. The fruit though came in the second group which was considerably smaller but the intimacy encouraged some that usually go into discussion group to be a part of Bible discovery instead. Praise the Lord! No doubt they are learning and finding truth in God’s word.  Also next week one of the students offered to facilitate Bible discovery group. Wow! (our discovery facilitator always asks the same questions and so is not a “teacher”). Can you all say POP…  One new Korean student said that after the group he finally, for the first time in America felt comfortable like he was at home. Continue to pray for Friday night(www.utaisi.org) as we continue to transition to two groups. Pray that enough student go to each group for critical mass and that both thrive in the new environment and yet we remain as one community. Pray that students will flow from the overly packed one to the less full one. Pray for workers for the harvest being intentional about harvesting and moving students towards harvest. Pray that we can recognize pop’s.

At the TCU welcome party we saw many new faces as over 70 were present. they came from all over the world including Russia, Armenia, China, Vietnam, Venezuela, Sri Lanka, etc. All enjoyed the time thoroughtly and felt love and appreciated. We also met many new potential volunteer students.

The talk at Southfield Community Fellowship was just like coming home as we felt loved and we were amazed by how many people we knew from different part of our lives there. Roy was able to share from Luke 11 about doing ministry on purpose looking for people of peace with many, many student examples of POP’s going home and being different makers.