First Things First

(This blog excerpt was taken from Jess Fong’s latest prayer letter)

Hi Family!

I am currently in Boston, storing up on cold weather before heading back to Florida for two months. I am volunteering with several of Campus Crusade’s ministries based here and completing the final draft for my last travel assignment to Montana (where I saw my first snow for the season!).  The story is about a Native American ministry called Nations, through the eyes of Nicholas Ross-Dick, a member of the Yakama Nation.

I spent three days following Nick around.  Eating in the student center, talking to his friends, and listening as he led Bible study; I tried to get just glimmers of what it means to be a Native American Christian college student, a rare demographic.

The second day I worked with Nick, we attended Native American Literature class and walked around campus. It wasn’t until late afternoon that he casually mentioned he was missing a meeting with the university president. As a leader of the American Indian Council on campus, he had been asked to speak on behalf of the Native American students. He was playing hooky because he had already agreed to meet me.

In most Native American cultures, the concept of time is based on priorities, not the clock. Often Native Americans will run late because they were attending to something more important, and will stay late until they feel the task is finished well. To Nick, speaking with me to have this story written about God’s ministry was the heavier priority. But to me, because of the power I had placed on the title of “University President,” I thought he was making a bad call. In the end, we both went to the meeting late.

As I think about Nick, I realize his prioritizing is better than mine- I give weight to things I think are important, but often aren’t, like neglecting morning devotions for breakfast/sleep/e-mail.  The holiday season often puts my priorities askew. I forget to place first what God knows is important.

As we enter into the New Year, I pray that we would all be able to live life according to God’s priorities, and never our own.

(Look for Jess’ story about Nicholas Ross-Dick and Nations Ministry to appear in the May/June issue of Worldwide Challenge.)

Story Update: “Missing Harisudan”

Harisudan was hedging his bets.

Although the 23-year-old man from India said his surrender to Jesus was wholehearted—100 percent, even—the former Hindu loosely held to his past.

“I’m not saying Christianity is the only way. Hinduism is a good way, but I like Christianity.”

You may have read about Hari in the latest issue of Worldwide Challenge magazine (“Missing Harisudan,” starting on page 16). We were careful to earmark the above quote as “theologically confused.” But we felt it was important to include it since this thought is common, especially in places dominated by other religions.

Writer, Becky Hill, knew that Hari was meeting with a Christian mentor (Rajan Babu) who would explain further what Jesus said about Himself, leaving no room for Hinduism or any other way to God. We knew, as a brand new Christian, that there was much for Hari to learn. We just didn’t know how soon he would learn some of it. So here is the rest of the story.

I spoke to Hari by telephone after the article was written to check a few points for accuracy. Immediately after attending the sports camp which Becky wrote about, Hari was hospitalized for terrible ulcers. The pain built and built, until Hari began to contemplate suicide. Then he had a terrible dream.

He called Rajan Babu from his hospital bed, desperate for encouragement and answers. He begged him to come read the Bible for comfort and to explain his dream.

Rajan Babu, a staff member with Campus Crusade for Christ, told Hari that God wanted everything. He told Hari, with audacious faith, that if he completely surrendered to Jesus—leaving no back doors open to return to Hinduism—then God would heal him within five days.

Hari told me this over the phone, our international call interrupted by cars honking while Hari walked through crowded traffic.

I was shocked by Rajan Babu’s bold challenge. But Hari says he experienced a miracle. He was healed in five days. He is completely convinced of God’s sovereignty.

Since then, Hari told me via Facebook that his parents told him to move out. A part of the Brahman priestly caste, Hari had offended his family with his decision to follow Jesus.

Please pray for Hari. Thank you for allowing us to tell these amazing stories. We see God’s fingerprints around the world and show our readers that He is very much alive. What a privilege to serve Him!

Spiritual Breathing- The Back Story

Nine drafts later, I finally finished my first feature article for Worldwide Challenge magazine.  Spiritual breathing was my topic.  My research included testing the waters of scuba diving.  “I smiled when I saw the bold, black lettered-sign that said, “No Diving Permitted” when I surveyed the landscape around the pool.

That’s why I was there.  Being a newbie, the first lesson on how-to scuba was in the controlled environment of an eight–foot deep pool.  In my Christian Growth article I talked about spiritual breathing by using scuba diving as an analogy.  I got the idea after watching Broken Phonebooth’s DVD on the same topic called, “Don’t Hold Your Breath.”

The Broken Phonebooth team creates short, Christian growth/discipleship films for Campus Crusade for Christ and The JESUS Film Project®.

We work six months ahead of time, so watch for the article in the January/February 2010 issue of Worldwide Challenge magazine.

Until then, here’s a few pictures of the experience that won’t be in the magazine.

-Rich A.

Missing Indy

I had a plane ticket to Indianapolis May 27^th for my first travel assignment for Worldwide Challenge, but an hour before I was to head to the airport with Guy, the photographer, I got off the phone with my editor and went back to bed.  I was horribly sick with the flu.  (Nothing grotesque, just extreme body achiness, exhaustion, and fever and chills.)

Despite my delirium, I made multiple phone calls to several of the women I’d planned to finally meet in person and assured them that we’d go forward with the story through phone interviews and that Guy would be there to photograph the story.

After talking with Marilyn over the phone over the course of several weeks, I was looking forward to finally meeting her face to face.

Naturally, I was frustrated that I was going to sleep through my first travel assignment.

I knew there was no way I should have gone, but I wondered why God would let me miss the trip.

Between hours of deep sleep, I prayed God would bless the two days while Guy was there and that the women would still be encouraged when they got together even though I wasn’t there to observe and interview them.

I imagined Guy there at the luncheon with female chatter and laughter filling the air.

Knowing God was ultimately in control, I wondered if the decreased pressure of having a reporter hanging around would increase candor and let the women be more relaxed in front of the photographer—that they might even forget that their getting together was for the story but that they’d just enjoy being together for the sake of being together.

Of course I can only guess God’s purposes, but one thing He showed me clearly—this and all the stories ahead of me are in His hands, and He’ll equip me to write them whether they go according to plans or not.

-Hayley

Calendar Chaos (Christmas in June)

It doesn’t feel like Christmas. Or Thanksgiving. But here we are, working on November/December’s features and departments.

The writers had a noon deadline today for some of those stories, but you won’t get to read them for another 6 months. That’s because first draft of a feature article is just one of 52 stages–seriously, 52 stages–listed on our editorial calendar.

It boggles my mind, but that is what the managing editor is for (as Christy likes to say, she manages the editor).

• Every story gets edited. The editor works with the writer to capture the most truthful, inspiring and practical version of the story. Three or four versions is expected; seven or eight is not unheard of.
• Every story gets proofed. Once it is edited, the story goes through several more editors checking for accuracy, grammar and consistent style.
• Every story gets designed. The good people at Journey need to match the words with our fantastic photos or illustrations.
• Every story gets printed. Believe it or not, even that has stages.

By the time it arrives in your box, it has been run through an editorial/design/printing gauntlet. And that’s why I’m excited for you to see what’s next in July/August (even though we started working on it last December).

And tomorrow, I’ve got a meeting with the editorial board to discuss article ideas for January/February 2010.

Wait, what month are we in again?

Erik Segalini

Lifelines- Chris Lawrence

After years of sending readers around the world through his stories and articles, Chris Lawrence recently transferred from Worldwide Challenge to the Campus Ministry, specifically working with Lifelines. You can learn more about Lifelines by checking out the photo essay in the latest issue, beginning on page 28.

Chris writes:

“For the past few years, I have prayed about where God might lead me next in ministry. I never imagined it would be Utah, a place blending Mormon culture and outdoor enthusiasts. Thus far, God has really been blessing my time in Utah, and I continue to feel more adjusted. The semester started slow (which my coworkers cautioned me it would), but things have really started heating up toward the end. Besides Westminster, here are some highlights from the semester:

-Our team seeing 5 people accept Christ—this is huge in Utah!!

-A paintball outreach where 9 nonbelievers from University of Utah showed up

-Leading the weekly Cru meeting, sharing about my travels to Uganda

-Seeing God grow me in evangelism skills

-10 Utah students will be going on Summer Project

Upcoming: Lake Hart Stint (and a lesson in creativity)

An article in the September/October issue will feature the story of Indy and Dawn Little and their participation in Lake Hart Stint 2008-09.

The Lake Hart Stint is a 10-month, one-time program made available to all staff members of Campus Crusade for Christ. Participants come to World Headquarters in Orlando and fulfill a position of need in exchange for a season of heightened personal input, development and greater opportunity for an intimate, heart-connect with the Lord.

My wife, Linda, and I were members of Indy and Dawn Little’s small group during our 10 months on Lake Hart STINT.

We have been married 17 years, but we have seen through them how a zest for adventure can help to sustain a relationship.

Exercising some intentional creativity, the couple has acted with purpose in choosing to do something memorable and creative on their wedding anniversaries.

Year 1: It is a rare man who takes his wife to a Monster Truck Jam on a first anniversary and, in so doing, avoids the doghouse.

“I said, ‘No way, that is so cool,” recounts Dawn. “We were with 10,000 8-year olds. But we got to kiss on the JumboTron.”

Year 2: The couple went dog-sledding in Ely, Minnesota.

“It was magical—a crisp, gorgeous 19-20 degree winter day. We had lots of fun and laughs,” says Indy. “I once fell off. Dawn was still in the basket and I am trying to catch the sled, but the dogs are going faster than I could run. I had to pull an Indiana Jones—one of those moments beyond belief.”

Year 3: Private lessons at the St. Paul curling club.

Year 4: A swim with the manatees in the Florida sun.

Year 5: “We aren’t quite sure yet,” says Dawn. “I would love to watch a game of jai alai. But we will have to decide.”

Greg Stoughton