The students now feel welcome.At least from what we’ve heard from them. Just finished up most of the welcome activites at the various campuses in the metroplex. These are often crazy times but the fruit is still to come. We will see how God was able to use these important events to kick start the ministry for the year.

• The Big Howdy (www.utabighowdy.com – Pictures – ) party went very well. Ron and the team did a terrific job of planning the whole month. There were over 560 students present and well over 100 volunteers. One special thing that we did this year was Ron kicked the time off with a 20 minute training of all volunteers, from food servers to garbage movers to greeters in how to build relationships with students and being on the lookout for people of peace within the group. There was a noticeable difference in how much and how well students and volunteers were connecting. One more event left, tours around Arlington on Labor Day.
• The TCU welcome party was one of the best yet. There were nearly 50 people there. The team did a terrific job of connecting with both old and new students. The greatest joy for me was watching the team gel and work together. It is a really tight group and it is a testimony to the students. Also Roy had a great discussion with a student about the impotence of politics and government to inherently change the world at the root level but that heart change affected by Jesus is the only way that true change can happen.
• Ron shared with me that of a cool happening with the Training for Trainers (T4T) discipleship group. On Thursday, the group was sharing things they were thankful for and stressed out about. One couple from Taiwan desperately needed a car as they planned on transferring to a school 30 minutes away. One of the newly believing Chinese girls prayed for them. The following Monday, they reported that God provided right car at the right price. All was amazed at how quickly God answers prayers.