Concepcion

I will be traveling to Concepcion once a month to support the ministry there. Cote, Veronica and Delia are Chilean staff working on 3 campuses in Concepcion.
Yesterday at the Universidad de Concepcion I met Gustavo and Tania. They are first year biology students. They showed me around campus and we talked for about an hour. Later on they came to the Vida Estudiantil meeting. In some ways this is a very small thing, but these simple things are how a movement grows.
Today I will be meeting with the men involved here in Concepcion for discipleship. And we will also have a meeting to equip students leaders to lead a movement on their campus.

Creating and Joining

Last week I started training with the basketball team at the university. Soccer is the undisputed favorite sport of chileans. I don't play much, and fankly was missing a good game a basketball. I told the coach that I wasn't a student, asd was just looking for a good game. He invited me to practice with the team. Besides enjoying basketball I also hope that by joining this community that already exists I can be a blessing and influence in those young mens lives.
Our ministry team is also working to create a community for students. As we meet more and more students each day we are inviting them to English clubs and will also have a meeting every other week for students to come together, have some fun and interact about some topic that relates to what they are facing in life.

Raices

One of the best parts of serving the Lord and people is you get to see people grow and change. This past Saturday we had our first meeting with a group of committed students who's lives are being transformed by the good news that the King of heaven has included us in His kingdom, and gives us everything we need for life and godliness.
Raices (roots) is a time we have each week with students who are committed to bearing fruit as they know and follow Jesus. We want to help them experience the promises that God has made about those who have good roots, getting abundant life from Christ. Our goal is develop mature people who will follow Christ and be effective in accomplishing the commission He gave us. Many of these students have come to Christ in the past year.

God has some sweet promises for the those who trusts in Him:
"He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." (Psalm 1:3)
"Abide in me [Jesus], and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

On a fruitful mature life:
So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books. (2 Peter 1:5-9)

Mechoneo

Bienvenidos??? Mechoneo is the official term for the welcome that all first year students get at the university in Chile. This was the first day of classes at the Universidad Santiago de Chile, and the first year students were subjected to all kinds of crazy stuff. The typical thing is to smash an egg in their hair, spray them with water and then put flour and other stuff all over them. They also cut their hair and clothes up, steal their shoes and make them beg for money for a party that they will have at the end of the week. Sometimes it gets extreem. I am not sure how I would feel about it if I was a student. But it seems like it might help them take themselves a little less seriously.
As you walk around campus and talk to students you will find the occasional first year students who decided not to show up to their assigned classes today. However I am not sure that strategy actually works, I think they track you down eventually... What would you do if you knew that you were going to be "welcomed" to campus some time this week?

Opening Doors

There are campuses all over this city. I couldn't begin to tell you where they are at, how many students they have or when we might show up there. Some time in the future we might figure all that out. But for now our team is going to focus our efforts on the Universidad Santiago de Chile (USACH). Not so much on the campus really as on people, on students, reaching lost students and making disciples.
One of my roles on our team is to think about expansion, how we will get to students that are on campuses where there is not a movement of students reaching their peers with the good news about our God who saves.
Yesterday as I sat in the metro waiting to meet someone, I struck up a conversation with a man who was a professor at a growing private school. Today he introduced us personally to the public relations director, who received us very well and put in a good word for us with several other staff at the university.
As I went back home I stopped in a barrio that has a number of larger private schools. At one university I was introduced to the assistant to the president. He was extremely helpful and interested in the possibility of having us serve students on the campus.
These seemingly open doors do not mean that we have to go to these campuses. When someone asks us to come, then we have to go. Pray that the doors continue to open up for us to share Christ.
"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison-- that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
(Colossians 4:2-4)

First Day

This was the first day our team went to campus. I went to the Universidad Santiago de Chile. I figured out the geography of campus by walking around and praying for the students. Unlike most Chilean universities this one has most of the areas of study grouped together in one major campus. After getting the lay of the land I introduced myself to some students. Juan, Jonathan, Jose and Joanna are second year math students. There were planning the hazing that many first year students go through. We talked for about an hour.
Yesterday was my first full day living in my apartment. I had been praying for direction in reaching the young professionals and others who live in the building of about 400 apartments. God answered that prayer yesterday as I returned from my run along the Maipo river. Pablo was walking down the street, and I asked him about a large business whose headquarters is across the street from the apartment building. From there we ended up spending several hours together and talk about many things, following Jesus, golf, economics, family, the kingdom of God. He knows others who are Christians in the building and is very open spiritually. Pray this would be the beginning of a community of God seekers and Christ followers in this building.

Move In

Moving into an apartment downtown is a surprisingly significant achievement. I am grateful to have a place that is very centrally located for getting to the major campuses in Santiago. Being a block and a half from the metro is a plus.
The process of finding a place and getting moved in has been much more challenging that I had expected. Learning about the different areas in Santiago, figuring out how to utilize websites and newspapers, getting a cell phone to communicate... Finding the place took me about two weeks. Then I spent another week getting the papers, securing a co-signer and getting his papers together. Getting the contract signed and then getting the keys took a few more days. Moving in has taken a few more days.
Along the way I have been surprised by the culture shock that I have experienced. I have had to adjust my expectations. Things will be more difficult, move slower and require more effort than I think they should.
Being in a new place means I am around new people. I am praying for opportunities to bring the blessing of the gospel to people around me where I live. And I am thankful for God's provision.