A CBU Dream

CBU ADVENTURES

Each day has been an adventure at CBU. The unexpected occurs; we meet new people; our discussions lead us along interesting paths; the Spirit of God moves, giving us opportunities, guiding us, and supplying our needs. They have been a challenge and a joy, with many good times with a variety of students. In particular, we have established good friendships with guys in several rooms that we often visited.

Our times at CBU have been a combination of planned and improve, of casual conversations about life and spiritual discussions digging into the word together. At times we’ve been asked many difficult questions about a variety of topics, such as miracles, homosexuality, speaking in tongues, prophesy, the trinity, and life after death. Questions like these reveal just how little I know in the grand scheme of things. During our times here, I’ve been realizing my dependence on God and need to trust in Him. In Christ I have all I will ever need (Phil. 4:19), while apart from Him, no one will.

THE VISION OF DISCIPLESHIP

My eyes are widening to the vision of discipleship, the vision that Jesus demonstrated. I desire to be a disciple (a learner and a follower) of Jesus, as well as help others therein. At CBU, instead of just feeding students with the truth, we have also strived to discuss the truth with them and teach them how to learn: how to study the scriptures, how to grow in Christ (such as with the Wheel illustration), how to grow in prayer…  Our hope is that students can learn to learn, grow regardless of us, and teach others how to grow and then others. An illustration I’ve heard before is as follows: Feed a man fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to teach others to fish, and you feed generations. A CBU dream of Jon and Chapo and Bryce this is.

FRIENDS AND ALLIES

Here are pictures of some of the good friends that we have met here. Our prayer and desire is for them to continue to grow and bear fruit for God’s glory. 

Philippians 1:2-11: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus ….  And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.”

Some guys from the Wednesday bible study, A206. Bryce, Evans, Kolezi, Ephraim, Jon

Wednesday study

 

Matthews, a first-year student in business that I got to connect with. He came to know Christ at the end of last year. It is exciting to see his growth thus far and desire to grow more.

Jon, Situmbeko, Bryce, Gerald, Blessings, Matthews

Picture of before we left for National Conference

Jon Chen walking towards CBU

     Gerald, a fourth year student in Wildlife management, who is a part of the Thursday bible study (A306) and that I've gotten to connect with, such as during national conference (this picture), when we were roommates. I'm glad and excited that he is staying at CBU over the break this next week!

LIGHTHOUSE YOUTH GROUP

Last Sunday (7/8/12) in the afternoon, Jon and I got to lead the youth group time. It was an honor for us to have this opportunity to lead and share. About 20 people came, with varying ages though most around our age I would guess. We as a group divided into smaller groups; each group was given a bible story to act out silently, after which the audience would try to guess the story. We then also discussed the topic of prayer and the acronym “A.C.T.S” (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) in talking about different elements of prayer. The LORD answered our prayers and blessed the event. It was fun, went well, and people shared that they learned! Praise the LORD!

OUTLOOK

                These past two weeks students at CBU have been taking their end of term exams. This next week is their break (between terms/trimesters), so many students that we have connected with have left for break, yet some remain. We will be concentrating on these students, as well as perhaps meeting new students. On Saturday (7/21/12) we’re thinking about having an extended time together with students at Chapo’s place, in the word, in fellowship, and as a farewell for Jon and I. Sunday (7/22) Jon and I will get to lead the Lighthouse Christian Church youth group again, over the topic of prayer. Then, Monday (7/23) the plan is for Jon and I to return to Lusaka to spend the last few days with the rest of our team and friends there before flying out of Lusaka on Friday (7/27). It has been an amazing trip thus far, and we hope to make the most of these last few weeks.