When you invest financially, once a quarter you receive a report on how your funds are growing. You have invested your prayers, hearts, and dollars in the work in Brussels. As 2013 ended academically, here is some of the growth we’re celebrating:
- This year we saw 4 students baptized in water, publicly declaring their commitment to follow Jesus!
- Thursday nights have grown! In April we had the largest gathering of students in the last 2 years, as around 45 students coming to hear the Word!
- This year saw the launch of 4 discipleship small groups--20 students gathering each week to go deeper in relationships with each other and the Lord.
- We ended the semester with a bang, as we had 2 teams of Chi Alpha students, from UL-Lafayette and LSU come on mission trips. Through “Cajun Supper Nights”, coffee giveaways, and contact evanglism on campus, these 17 students helped us spread the good news of Jesus all over the city! (Below: UL Chi Alpha Pastor Kelsey Tomes preachin' it straight and true!)
- Our first intern, Sarah Lecerf, completed her internship and will continue ministering as a campus leader for the SFC group in Mons, Belgium for the upcoming year.
“Charles, we’ve had such a beautiful ending to our school year. I can’t wait for next year!” One of our student leaders sent me this text after our last meeting of the year, excited about what’s to come. I hope you’ll join us in celebrating these eternal “gains”, and praying for more in 2014!
SFC Facelift
Our ministry center was in need of a paint job. No big deal right? Well, except that the building has 5 flights of stairs, 12-foot ceilings, hadn’t been painted in 10 years and is heated with a diesel furnace (soot everywhere!) 3 missions teams, 3 Maps workers, 6 student volunteers, and 32 gallons of paint later, we put the finishing touches on the last of 9,000 square feet of wall just last week. It was a really EXTREME makeover!
Family News
This summer, when not busy washing his Hot Wheels, Aidan has indulged his love of wildlife, going to visit the
zoo in Antwerp and a nature park in Wallonia, and he has become one of
the tallest 2 year-olds in Belgium. His favorite topic is “Remember
when we saw the hippos?” He can now count to 5 in French, and
“eleventeen” in English. Charles is reliving the stress of student
life while trying to finish 3 seminary courses this summer. Amanda has
been blessing us all by coming up with new ways to make smoothies,
chocolate chip cookies and cakes while not having the American
ingredients she’s used to. We’re thinking that the new baby that’s
coming must be part Asian because he craves Vietnamese take-out on a
daily basis! He’ll be arriving around Nov. 14, so we’d appreciate your
prayers for his and Amanda’s health. 'Til next time!
