One of the things I asked everyone to pray for over the last month or so is the time I have been investing at USF in order to get some sort of Fraternity/Sorority Community Group/Bible Study started. We have had two meetings with 2 USF Alumni who were apart of the Greek system, One Intervarsity staff, one Crusade staff other than me, Ross, and one active brother in Sigma Chi, Greg. The meetings have gone well. USF greek life is different than UCFs and a lot different than the south's. Starting a ministry here at USF is going to look totally different. We want to start with a core of believers and by believers we mean seekers, nominal Christians, or anyone that is even remotely interested in knowing more about Jesus Christ. It is going to take the Spring Semester for all the people in the fraternities and sororities that we even slightly know to be believers to build relationships with these people since the alumni and even Greg are a little removed from their chapters. The next meeting is January 5th. Please continue to pray as I phase out of this role that the Lord would be sovereign over bringing key people together to start this ministry. Also pray that we would know if Intervarsity or Campus Crusade are going to be the main backers with accountability to this arm of ministry.
I have also debriefed with Ross and John the two staff at USF Campus Crusade about what I have found in the IFC meetings I have attended, the presidents I met with, and hours I spent trying to basically survey the Greek system at USF since they were never in a fraternity in their prospective colleges. Going through all the stuff for a good 2-3 hours made me a little sad that I am leaving this "in the middle". I trust that God will use Ross and John to follow up some of the things I started or did. I, somewhat on purpose because I was leaving and knew it was going to be hard and somewhat because Grant being born called for me to have an active role in a lot more activities than I will in the future, did not participate in getting to know a lot of Kappa Sigs even after invited to do so by some of the guys I met at USF. It is hard being passionate about Italy as well as Fraternity ministry because Italy does not have any fraternities at the universities. It was probably still one of my main regrets this whole semester, but I know I did the right thing being there for my wife when she needed me ;)
It was hard but okay as I attended my last USF Campus Crusade meeting of this semester. I know that God has called us to Salerno. It is tough because they do need staff at USF. Maybe someday the Lord will bring us back here.
On the Italy front, continue to pray for the two girl Bible studies and the one on one follow ups from Thanksgiving get together that have been been taking place and will continue to take place over the next few months. Continue to pray for Marko as the Lord is bringing him closer to Himself. There is a plan in place for Marko to come to Unveiled Christmas Conference in Atlanta not only to grow in his faith but get to share with college students what the Lord has been doing in his life. Please pray that money comes in to make this happen.
I will leave you with a picture of Grant sucking his thumb. He tries so hard to get his hand in his mouth and when he finally does, it is a grand sense of accomplishment!
