Prayer Needed

Hey everyone,

Okay so... we found out today that my team has been forbidden to set foot on one of the campuses we are doing ministry on. The authorities on that campus have been watching us, and know who the students we are talking to and who are involved with Student Impact are... and have threatened to not allow them to graduate should our activity on campus continue. The campus team I am co-leading has taken this hard.. but good. We are seeing the effects of the gospel in a way none of us really expected, and while it is exciting to be in the midst of the movement, the fact that we will no longer be able to spend time with those who we were building relationships with is.... hard. We are going to be trying to email students whose contact information we have.... but we are not able to go to them, and will have to ask them to meet us off campus.

The student leaders, one in particular, is taking this very hard, and I would ask that right now you lift him up in your prayers, as well as the few other Christians on campus to whom this news might discourage. Our team has been re-directed temporarily to a high school and will be involved with an event that was already scheduled to take place.... God is good.

This, as well as the rest of the trip and all it holds has proven stressful at times, and there are a few other things that need to be lifted up in prayer as well. It seems as if the devil is attacking the girl leaders right now.... expressed through physical hindrances.

The co-leader of the other campus team had to have a minor operation to drain an abscessed cyst at the end of her tailbone, which not only made the 11+ hour flight incredible uncomfortable, but has proven to affect her health, and kept her in bed almost the entire trip with a cold, fever, and other signs of infection. Thankfully she was able to go to a doctor today, and I will be going with her for a follow up visit tomorrow.

The co-leader of our trip, and the girls leader, Heather, experienced excruciating pain in her back tonight that left her stumbling in the door, crying and unable to move. She is doing better now, but... just pray for her....

And... as much as I don't want to include myself in this list, I just honestly need prayer for my back and shoulders as well. I have been experiencing horrible pain in my shoulders and neck in the form of muscle spasms and cramps. Its very sharp, and constant, and I can feel it pulling all the way down my back, into my arms and at times into my face. I have been getting some lovely back massages from my roommates, but it is extremely uncomfortable, and carrying a back-pack or purse around on campus has proved.... really painful. Ugh, I don't want to complain, but I really need prayer.

Obviously the devil is scared, and God is allowing our faith to grow... He is merciful and faithful beyond our knowledge, and the peace and wisdom he has is beyond understanding... something incredibly comforting in all of this. If you could please just pray for the three guy leaders, that they would not experience anymore opposition... one of them broke out entirely in an itchy rash all over his whole body... and the other two... I just pray they would find strength.

In all of this however, we are experiencing much joy! One of my teammates led someone to Christ today!! The gospel was shared thoroughly to at least two interested students, and friendships were formed that could potentially carry the gospel to open hearts. It was such an encouraging day for me today... and although I am so exhausted emotionally from everything that is going on... God in His mercy has allowed me to take the day off tomorrow, and instead of going on campus, I will be spending time with Jess as she and I make our way to the doctors again. We will be traveling on multiple trains, and the trip takes well over an hour, so be in prayer for that as well.

Love you all... pray for us, but rest in the Faithful, Merciful hands of God, because He cares for you =)

ps. I got to experience being completely packed into a train tonight, and it was really fun and exciting. We got on, and just when I thought the train was full, they started pushing people in.... more.. and more... and more. I could not move AT ALL, and I have never been that crowded in my life.... but it was kind of fun.... haha, and such an awesome experience!