It’s been a long week. To start off, exactly a week ago (Tuesday 19 August) I received an email saying I had reached 85% of my fundraising goals.
Thank you.
That is literally all gifts given of other people, you, to this ministry at William and Mary. I couldn’t raise that money alone. I needed God’s blessing and your support. What did I do to deserve it? I made a few (or many) awkward phone calls. Truly, not out of my own strength.
I hit the road the same day. The trip took me until Friday. I was able to stop each night and visit with friends along the way.
Thank you.
To each friend I saw, you made my trip a joy and you put a roof over my head and even a mattress under my head.
I am moved into my new home here in Williamsburg. I live very close to campus, and in this weather, I look forward to walking many days of the year to campus. Once I arrived, I hit the ground running. I saw my family briefly the first night and the next day I moved in, had lunch with the RUF campus minister (Ben Robertson) and his family (Dawn and four children). After walking a stretch of the campus past the Sunken Gardens and the newly excavated old brew-house, I headed out to my co-intern’s (Jacob Roberts and his wife, Lindsey) home on a farm. They showed me where to buy bed sheets and food, and then fed me dinner. I am excited to work along side them both and become closer friends.
Sunday I attended the church where many RUF students attend during the year, and met many regulars at a church picnic that evening.
Monday I finally met students on Ministry Team (Students committed to helping RUF run and inviting new people into the group). We spent the day at Ben’s home, chatting and getting to know one another (or at least, I memorized and practiced everyone’s names), meditating on a scripture passage, a poem, and spending time in prayer.
I was uplifted by the prayers I heard being volunteered during an open prayer time. I was frankly amazed by each students’ care in praying: using their own words, praying for similar things, praying for freshmen, praying for themselves and others on the team. Prayer today was specifically needed for the campus. Only this morning, days after move-in, days before classes start, a student committed suicide.
Sadly, this is not uncommon on the campus of William and Mary. I do not think it has ever happened so early in a semester, and I fear it won’t be the last one I hear of in my time here. This campus is small, about 6,000 students. I don’t know what makes these students particularly susceptible to suicide. I hardly know how to comment on the situation other than, God has everyone on this campus here for a reason. We prayed today that the ministries, counselors, and professors would find the words to comfort and guide the students who new this young man, or who grapple with the same temptation. I ask that you pray for those who knew Peter, his family and friends, to be comforted. Pray for me and Jacob and all who encounter students that are angry or sad or burdened by this news. Truly, God is needed here. His unbelievable words of “Do not fear- I am the Lord your God” throughout the Bible are ones we all need to embrace- and GET to embrace.
Lavished in Grace 