New Beginnings

        It’s a new year but I feel like God’s been making things new for a while now. Usually campus ministry can often feel new because there are always new freshmen and new leaders leading the ministry, and even sometimes new staff.  This year there seems to be more of a spiritual renewal. In 2012 God was working the same thing in my personal life and ministry life as He was with my church (Calvary Baptist Church in NYC). There seemed to be a Spirit-led call in 2012 to focus on prayer. I often prayed that God would not let my students feel complacent in their walks with Jesus and that students who don’t know Him personally would have a hunger to know Him.

This past semester, two students prayed to receive Christ at Kean’s weekly Bible study meetings called Cru.  Throughout the semester, two Muslim student women attended Cru on three separate occasions and invited us to their Muslim Student Association (MSA) meetings.  My attendance to two of their meetings caused the rest of the Muslim students to inquire more about Christianity, its differences from Islam, and its origin! I’m happy to say that as a result of God’s response to our prayers, there are five newly involved leaders who are soon to be spiritual multipliers and are currently ready to be discipled and trained to help lead a small movement, share their faith boldly and build into others. Another answered prayer is Joel Aponte (pictured kneeling), this year’s intern who is working at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and Kean University. Joel has been a positive influence on some of the men at Kean, the ministry at NJIT and with students across the state. Please pray for him as he follows God’s lead in choosing his new career path, whether with Cru full-time or something else.

God's Different Plans

Fall Retreat (Oct. 2012) - UNMASKED

Women from Kean Cru at Fall Retreat 2012

              October went by so fast and Sandy came so quickly that I didn’t have time to tell you about the wonderful things that happened throughout Fall Retreat. Our theme was intended to be an encouragement to the 200+ students to show an appropriately vulnerable and transparent self while at  the conference with God and with others. At one of our break-out seminars, students did just that.  I was supposed to lead only one seminar on “How to know God personally” for those who may not yet know Jesus and for those who want to share how to.  With the exception of little light, the seminar went well.

 Immediately following this, I planned to attend the “sexual abuse” seminar with a student of mine who was looking for community. Upon arriving, I learned that our speaker (who turned out to be very ill) had not yet arrived. I immediately grew concerned for the 40+ young people in the room who had something to communicate about this topic. :( As I prayed, I felt the Spirit lead me to engage in conversation with these young adults. In the corner stood one of the regional directors, Jeff Martin and his wife Mary. With their support and the prayers of our intern/friend, Joel Aponte, I facilitated a really good conversation where students simply shared insights on how to listen and receive news that could be shocking, how to pray and comfort those in pain, and what to avoid saying to someone in this situation. God truly used this time for His good.

 
Throughout the past month a few students from this meeting have made me a “facebook friend”  and have sought out encouragement and prayer. To God be all the glory! Please pray for these young men and women, that they may seek God for comfort and if need be, seek a counselor or safe living environment soon!

Generosity develops Joy

Just yesterday, I posted about how "Generosity develops Growth". When God's people sell all their possessions (like in Acts 2) and give to one another to help build the body of Christ so they can expand the kingdom of God, they are growing a movement for God. Acts 2:42-47 is a prime example of a godly community truly surrendered to Christ in every aspect of their lives.

What I learned today from some of you is that when someone in the body of Christ is generous, it develops a deep joy and appreciatio, not only for that person, but for God who laid it on that person's heart. Tonight at Cru, 11 students prayerfully decided to attend Fall Retreat from Kean Cru. Four of them said they can pay $50 and would need scholarships for the rest. They others have freshmen scholarships and can pay the rest. One girl came to me and admitted she really wanted to go but previously made a commitment to her church so instead asked if she could scholarship someone $60! Now one other student only needs to raise or come up with $39. :)

How great is God to provide?! I don't know where the last four scholarships of $49 will come from but I'm not concerned because my God always comes through!

If you think you are one of the ways He is coming through and would lie to scholarship one of these students to be challenged to lift the veils of their lives, you can visit give.ccci.org and give to account # 2868515. That's the Kean Cru account specifically.

Generosity develops Growth

It just breaks my hears when students have to choose between going to Fall Retreat, where they're challenged to live a surrendered life to God, and going to RADIATE, our winter conference where they're encouraged by students from around the region and built up in their faith. Why is money Satan's biggest threat to the growth of the church body?!

There are five students at Kean alone that I can name off the top of my head who will not be attending this year's Fall Retreat unless God provides a miraculous $75 for the two freshmen and $99 for the upperclassmen new believers. Please pray with me as I go to ask local churches and Kean Cru supporters to sponsor a student and help transform a life.

October 2011 - News Report

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” - 2 Corinthians 4:18

By mid-October, students are trying to balance school, friends, family, work, ministry, and their relationships with God. Sometimes things slip out of perspective and start to get fuzzy. Fall retreat is a time where students can get away for a weekend of worship, teaching, relaxing, and connecting with others. This year we had over 110 students from NJ join with a group of 60 from Westchester, PA to learn to focus their attention on Jesus through it all.
 
During women’s time, the women were especially challenged in their relationships with one another by guest speaker, Sarah Evers, who spoke about what it means to be an “ezer”. Although I was privileged to lead a seminar on evangelism and train students to uniquely initiate conversation with friends, family and peers, my favorite aspect of the retreat was following up with these Kean women (pictured left). Raised Catholic, Dailyn Santana (sitting in front of me), prayed to enter into an intimate relationship with Jesus at FR2011 and attends Bible Studies & women’s fellowship regularly! :) “You girls have NO idea, this weekend was like ‘answered prayers weekend’! I told God I wanted to really know Him at Fall retreat and I did, then I wanted female friends and you’re here!”

---

Christa, Victoria, Maria, Sindy, Liscet, Alison

Homecoming Festivities!

Aside from bowling nights, Pizza & God, and Bible study, another way Kean thought to reach their campus was to participate in the annual Homecoming festivities! This year student organizations were given a "Jersey Shore" theme to promote their group at the tailgate festival. Families came to support our winning football team and enjoy the free games and food. Kean Cru leader and senior, Liscet Duran (second from right), ran for homecoming queen and told the voting committee it was for the sake of bringing MORE glory to God who's brought her through these last years! :)

Joe Ro, Harvey Minano, Joe Celentano

Please continue to pray that the Kean leadership team wisely decides how to reach their campus for God’s glory!

Thanks for helping make this happen!

Picture story! :)

I've not posted in a long time... But here's the short, picture version of why:

This Friday is our second Jersey Cru of the semester! Last month we had nearly 200 students!

Kean is really working on reaching out to their campus this week. (Quest week is a statewide student/staff effort to take the initiative to share the Gospel with students, faculty and staff on the 30/60 campuses we are on.)

Kean Cru doesn't just give out free pizza! We really want people to come talk about God. So we are providing home-made empanadas! :)

Fall Retreat was terrific! Students truly encountered Jesus Christ!

11 women represented KeanCru at this years Fall Retreat. Harvey (right) is joined by 2 NJCU men pictured above.

Discipleship was beautiful by the beach @ Harvey Cedars Bible Conference.

Although a D3 University, Kean Cru even represented at the tailgate festival this year and cheered on Liscet (2nd from right) as she represented Christ, running for home-coming queen!)

Just cuz we were at homecoming, doesn't mean we weren't going to make an effort to start spiritual conversations! Underneath the castle the students built, they laid sand with "Soularium" cards dug in them. :)

Last Thursday, in an effort to reach students who may not have attended the homecoming concert, Kean Cru played short films produced by the Global Shortfilm Network to promote spiritual conversation.

Before that, Kean Cru had a difficult time booking a room to have Bible Study in, so we did a few community building events like bowling! Here are some of our senior women involved in the ministry. (From left to right: Liscet, Sindy, Jahtasia, Sharon)

It was a fun time for everyone!

Even a silly time for newbies to get to know and love us! :)

Free from Ctrl

This song, Hold Me - Jaime Grace and Toby Mac, is one of those songs I hear and wish I would always believe. Laura Story sings a song called "Blessings" that does a good job of reminding me of the truths I need to stay focused on.

Backdrop: (pray please)

• I haven't had an apartment since the end of July and the school semester started the end of August. So I've been staying with my parents on the weekend and friends/students throughout the week as I work on campus at Kean University. 
• My support has been $1200/month lower than I need it to be so that I can fully engage college students with the revitalizing story of Jesus Christ. So I've only been working at Kean University for the most part and working on support the rest of the time.
• My tire blew an unexpected expense through my emergency fund the second day of work.
• My laptop has been unexpectedly been shutting down on random occasions.
• Kean Cru has been having problems getting a room for it's weekly Bible studies.

What God's been teaching me...

This weekend I was able to go to Baltimore with our Jersey Metro Intern, ChiChi, and a few NJ students to meet up with staff and students from around the region to discuss and plan our upcoming winter conference, RADIATE2011. Immediately after this conference, I decided to drive to Virginia with a student of mine to go visit friends & students from Hampton Beach Summer Project 2011. It was Saturday afternoon and I had Monday off since I had just finished working a 65 hour work week. I've obviously been struggling with finding rest without a place of my own and I knew that if I went to NJ or NY, I would probably work in one way or another. So I decided I need to get away.

Truth:
On this 5 hour drive to Virginia Tech & 8 hour drive back up to NJ, I learned that I have a strong desire to be in control of all things in my life and cause them to work my way - "the good way". I tend to forget God's promises and truth that He loves me and has plans to prosper me and not to harm me (Jeremiah 29:11). I see my circumstances and wonder where is God's hand, but He said He will never leave me or forsake me (Hebrew 13:5). So then can I believe Him even when I don't see Him working? Can I believe His word, which says He is good & all that He does is good (Psalm 119:68)?

Focus:
This song, "Tear Down the Walls" by Hillsong, reminds me that I can believe Him because there is a greater purpose to being here in this life than to be comfortable and adjusted in my life-seat. I can BE FREE from the need to control because He's trust-worthy. Christian rap artist, Lecrae, says it beautifully in his song "Background"- "I can play the background cuz I know sometimes I get in the way". He can handle my life.... I just gotta trust Him and see it from His perspective. Kinda gets me excited for what God is going to do at our Fall Retreat this year entitled "focus - Change your perspective. Find your purpose."

NOW... (praise time)

I can see God's goodness in all these things that appear painful.

• Because I don't have an apartment, I've saved on rent and utilities for two months and haven't had to pay with students, friends and family.
• Because my support is low, I've been able to talk to more students about what I do and the importance of giving to God's kingdom work.
• Because my tire blew & my laptop may be at the end of it's working life, I'm excited for what God's going to do on campus to upset the enemies schemes!
• Despite Kean having problems getting a room for their weekly meetings, we've had MANY freshmen students come out to our meet & greet, pizza & God event, and bowling night out... people know we are on campus! This is key to our movement! PRAISE JESUS!

Sharing God - QuEST week

(Kean ladies at Fall Retreat 2010)

Tuesday I took Sharon, the student Cru president at Kean University (far right in picture), out into the campus to share our faith at the Latino Heritage Day. After a few QuEST surveys, we were able to pray with a young woman to come to know God personally!

This week, students are sharing their faith all across the state of New Jersey as a joined effort in something we call QuEST week. Last week, I was able to train students to share their faith using different conversation starters and tools. A few members of Campus Crusade for Christ at Kean (KUCru) will be conducting a "Prayer Walk" across their campus today and engaging in spiritual conversations with those whom they come across.

Praise God for students who love Him & live for Him!

FR.2010 - From the Inside Out

Every October, Jersey Metro joins the Westchester team and this year, the Philly Metro team of Campus Crusade for Christ to have a fun weekend away at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference. This Fall Retreat is meant to give our students a time to rest and draw closer to God as they are away from midterms and work for the weekend.
      This year, Roger Hershey spoke about living a life surrendered to Christ and led by the Holy Spirit from the Inside Out. Our Jersey Cru emcees engaged the 200+ students and our band led them in worship all five meetings. The students had a chance to attend seminars that trained them in living the spirit-filled life and so much more.

Chinwe (Pictured right) prayed with her best friend, Ashley (on right), to receive Christ just last year. Ashley is a freshman at Rutgers Newark helping me to pioneer a CCC ministry there. So far Ashley has enjoyed growing in her faith at Fall Retreat and meeting many other Christians at Jersey Cru.  I've always known God has been active in my life even before I got saved but seeing how he impacted others life as we all got to know each other at the Fall Retreat was truly amazing. I've never been in an environment with so many Christians so I know God put me there for a reason. My experience at the retreat changed the way I look at life and people for the better. It was as if God had the speakers write their speech specifically for me because I related to everything so much it was almost scary. God spoke through the speakers and taught me not to judge others because of their sexuality or due to jealousy which unfortunately are things that I used to do. Hearing that God loves me, will do anything for me and deserves to be praised and worshipped was nothing new to me, it was just how the speakers attached what I already knew to situations in everyday life. Everything that happened at the retreat happened for a reason and I thank God for giving me such a wonderful experience. – Ashley Ezewuiro, Rutgers University – Newark, NJ

October 2009 - Volume 2 * Issue 10

I am so encouraged to have the enemy attacking me as I write this letter to you. It only means God is preparing me to be used through this life ministry (sooner than later we pray). The Lord is still very gracious and compassionate to His children and He has shown me these characteristics of His through this support-raising time. How easily do we forget the good things He has done and the greater things He has called us to do? Earlier this month, by the undeserving grace of God, I had the opportunity to join my team to pray for our campuses across the state! I was so excited to finally feel like I was on the front-lines with my co-laborers in this mission to fulfill the Great Commission!

“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” - 2Timothy 2:1, 2


Every semester, the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ takes one day to pray for their ministries, states and the world. This semester, the Jersey Metro Campus Ministry Team decided to do a prayer walk on a few of our campuses. As we visited and prayed with several students and staff at Kean University, Rutgers University in Newark, and NJIT we saw the Lord’s sovereignty and incredi-ble love. At Kean University, my alma mater, several staff were excited to see us and in need of prayer. Praise the Lord for His guidance to the right place at the right time. Please continue to pray for these staff as they are each a witness and a representa-tive of Christ to our future leaders on a daily bases. Pray that they can appropriately and effectively share Christ with residents and students on these campuses with-out repercussion.


Fall Retreat—Overflow 09’
Jenn Lee, a student of mine, reports from Montclair State University:
“Recently, I (2nd from Left, bottom row) attended Fall Retreat with Campus Crusade for Christ. I was able to experience something that was completely different from what I expected. Last year, I had a lot of problems with my roommate and I prayed for better roommates this year. One of my current roommates (I did not know her at all before we moved in) was having a lot of trouble a week before fall retreat. She was struggling with a lot of different problems. Now that I look back, God was breaking her for a greater purpose (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). I decided to take a step of faith and asked her to come to Tuesday Night Bible study. To my surprise, she was open minded about the idea and followed. After the study, I also invited her to Fall Retreat and once again she easily agreed (bottom row, far right). During Fall Retreat, I really felt that she needed to hear the gospel so I used the Knowing God Personally Booklet ( A booklet that Campus Crusade for Christ uses to easily share the gospel) to speak with her. I went through the four spiritual laws with her and at the end she had to decide whether or not she wanted to personally accept Christ into her life. Without any hesitation, she agreed to say the prayer with me. It was amazing! I shared the gospel with many people before but it was the first time that anyone was SO willing to pray the prayer with me. Before the retreat, I hardly spoke to my roommate. But now, our relationship is completely different from before because Christ is our bridge for our friendship. Praise God!”


Prayer Requests:
 That God will bring in all of my monthly support by the end of the year.
 The student leaders and staff will grow in loving the campuses of New Jersey well as many others show hate.