Thankful Thursday

For our support team members, you may not have a clue what is going on at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. You don't know what your financial sacrifices and prayers are doing.

So, here's a thank you to Lee that wouldn't have happened without you.

It's from Ben. He's a sophomore from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He's studying Computer Science...he's really good at math!
He's a part of the Men's Leadership at UL Chi Alpha, which means that he leads a small group Bible study in his dorm. This is what he had to say:

Lee, I appreciate you for being a clear example of Christ for me when He may not be so clear for me sometimes. Just by living your life you challenge me to dig even deeper into my faith and express it to others who may not know him. Thank you SO much for being a genuine friend in my life when I needed it the most, in my transition to college, Soli Deo Gloria!
-Ben N.

As you can see, your prayers and finances are helping us make a difference in the lives of the students of UL. Ben is changing the world. You are helping us help him do that. Thank you!

If you are interested in becoming a member of our support team, just let me know!!

Introductions Please

I finally figured it out. It's a two fold thing. Every time we go somewhere, Bella introduces herself by saying, "This is Bella (as she points to herself), and this is Brennan (as she points to him)..." Sometimes she goes straight to pointing out Brennan. That is a diversion tactic. If she doesn't want the attention on herself, she'll point out Brennan. She used to do this with her shoes by saying "Look, I have shoes." This was before Brennan entered the world.

The second reason she does this is because she is used to her daddy introducing us when we go to Cafe Chi Alpha, or Chi Alpha International, or to a church. If Lee is already at the cafe, he can be talking to someone when we get there, and she'll run up to him. He'll pick her up and then introduce us by saying, "This is my wife Bri, and this is Bella, and this is Brennan." She's heard that a lot because we're always meeting new people!!

I'm happy that she is such a friendly girl, especially towards kids. She's shy around adults still, but she loves to play with kids whenever she can. And, when around adults (yes, we do consider college students to be adults), she is ok with introducing herself and her brother.

It's very interesting watching them grow up as a part of Chi Alpha. This is how she is when she's 2...There's no telling how she'll be a year from now...Brennan too. I don't think he's going to be as shy as her. It's a fun time for us...and for the students too!

Soul Train

We have a very diverse group at UL Chi Alpha. It's great seeing such a wide variety of colors, ages, and backgrounds be a part of one group making a difference on our campus together.

One of the ways that we celebrate this diversity is through having our "Soul Train Awards." The students do an excellent job of putting this production together. There's live music, live performances, presenters, videos...It's a lot.
Lee got to do a lot for this year's "Soul Train Awards." He made the whole video presentation, put together the recordings, the music tracks, and taught the house band the music. He definitely enjoyed himself.

The kids and I enjoyed it too. It also felt great being at the cafe for an event (we've been home a lot because the babies have been sick). You can't have the "Soul Train Awards" without having a dance party afterwards. This group loves to dance!!! Bella had the best time running around and dancing with her friends. On Saturday (the next day) she was even singing some of the songs that she had heard the night before.

I love it that my kids are going to grow up with diversity as a part of their lives.
In this picture, Bella went to get in the picture with some of the performers of the night. :) It's not even going to be an issue for them...the only issue will be with people who are not open to it. They h
ave met students of all kids of colors...and they love these students...and these students love our kids. It's an awesome experience for us and for them.

Help Wanted

One of our international students is looking for a job. He has a master's degree in petroleum engineering. He's really open to working anywhere doing anything right now...just one of those times where any income is needed.

It feels really good to be able to help out an international student in this way. We've known Rasta for 3 years now. He's changed so much since we've met him. He has always been a fun guy to be around, but there is a new sensitivity to him now. We love him, and I know that he trusts us. When I told him that I was praying for him to get a job, and that I had my dad praying for him (because my dad has a supernatural faith for jobs!), he sent me this:

"I really really appreciate it. You do care as well as a nice sister would. Thank you. Let me know about any opportunity. if a real job, I will make an appropriate resume for and if temporary job, I am ready no matter what. Thank you again."

I may not be at every event that UL Chi Alpha does. I may not be at the cafe to hang out with the students very often. But I still love helping the students when I can. Whether it is a student who has grown up in church who is getting connected with our Chi Alpha or another one in the state, or an international student who needs a job and is also searching for the truth, I get to help them in the journey that they are on!

PS. You can contact me if you know of any job openings, and I'll get him in touch with you!

When

A year ago for Christmas, UL Chi Alpha blessed Lee with an awesome Christmas gift...a MacBook Pro. Such an amazing computer!! Our director, Eric Treuil, personally delivered it to our little apartment so that Lee could start playing with it.

It has been a great tool for Lee. He's written and recorded songs using it. Now, his newest thing is making and editing videos. He's really good at it. He made this video, When, for the new speaking series for our Thursday Night Live weekly worship meetings. I have to say that when I saw this, I was moved to tears. It is very compelling.

I'm really glad that Lee is being able to develop this talent and passion. He's done some funny videos, and serious ones too. He's just got a knack for it. I'm thrilled that he's getting to do one more thing that he loves.

Students from Around the World

"Chi Alpha International (XAI) happens every Friday night during the semester @ 7 pm at the yellow house behind Taco Bell." Those words roll off of my tongue so easily now because we've said them so often. I think even Bella knows this phrase. Repetition works, though.

We have had many international students come to the Chi Alpha house (which is different than our Cafe Chi Alpha) on Friday nights representing many different nations. Just this school year - 2010/2011, we've had students from: Nepal, Haiti, Cameroon, Columbia, Cuba, Panama, several Muslim countries in the Middle East, India, Honduras, China, Vietnam, Nigeria...and many more!

It's been amazing to meet these students and develop relationships with them. I think that international students are the bravest students in the world. I cannot imagine going to another country where my first language is not spoken - and learn in that language!! I can barely speak another language...I don't know how I would learn in another one!!

To make this a little easier on them, we hope to provide these students with a comfortable environment to make new friends, learn about America, Louisiana, Lafayette. We also want them to feel free to share their culture with us because we truly want to celebrate their cultures with them.

We also have the opportunity to share what the Christian Bible has to say...discover the teachings of Jesus Christ together. A lot of these students are open to learning about Christianity. It's one thing to hear about it, but to study it is a different thing. These international students are actually excited about it because they want to see it for themselves.

I cannot imagine going to another country, or anywhere really, and have someone tell me that everything I learned about my faith is wrong...that my parents were wrong. And for some of these students, it would be like I was telling them that every one of their ancestors was wrong for not following Christianity. So, we don't do that. We hold the discussions. They are free to ask questions. We are there to answer questions. Honestly, there have been some tense moments over the past year when these discussions were held. But there has never been anyone who has felt unwanted on a Friday night.

Celebrating Leadership

Monday was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. A day of celebrating diversity. What a great way to celebrate it - holding a leadership training day for our UL Chi Alpha leaders. The spring semester is starting, and these students are ready to continue the work they started in the fall.

Sometimes it is hard to start again. The momentum has to be restarted. For some, this is harder than for others. No one knows what each student faced as they were home for the past few weeks. Some went home to very difficult situations. Others went home and got comfortable there and may not be ready to face the discomfort of sharing their lives with others again. It can take a lot to get back into the mindset of school, too.

But, Chi Alpha is off and running again. Lee is getting to encourage and speak life into his guys. He loves them so much. And we know that they love him, too. It's a special relationship - a brotherhood...a bromance. He definitely celebrates these guys and what they are doing on the campus of UL. They are out to change the world, one student at a time.