Last Thursday, I took two dedicated students - Jatniel and Andrea with me to Santa Barbara, once again. This time, for a different reason. This time we gathered their potential student leaders together for a time of training and equipping. Up to this point, the Professors, Deisy and Alvaro, have taken on the complete responsibility of the catalytic ministry there at UNESUR. However, as they have been raising up leaders, we've decided it's time to take this responsibility and pass it on to those students who are committed to, and love, this ministry. While I was at Congreso I took some time to meet with Alvaro and Deisy, and they were completely on board with this idea. We set aside the entire day on April 10th to do some training for these students, asked Deisy and Alvaro to select those students, and have been praying for them, by name, since that meeting at Congreso. With the help of two really great students from Merida, we put together 4 "workshops" to teach about the most important "ingredients" for a movement of Vida Estudiantil (PRAYER, Evangelism, Discipleship, and Sending).
The day turned out to be incredible. We were blown away to end up with a group of 12 committed students show up!! That is more students than we have serving the ministry in Merida, that is significantly larger. I was incredibly encouraged not only by the number of students that showed up, but also by their attentiveness and true excitement at getting THEIR movement off the ground and serving the Lord in that way. They listened intently throughout the entire day, of literally, us talking at them. When it came time for questions they were ready and trying to figure out how to best make
this work. We took a break in the middle of the day and took them to lunch at a nearby cafe, which was also a lot of fun, and great to get to know them a little better.All in all, it was an incredible long day (there are almost 4 hours of travel time on both ends), but it was incredibly encouraging to see the Lord working in the lives and desires of these students.....At the end, we spent a time in prayer all together and I gave each student a contract, asking them to commit to being part of the Vida Estudiantil servant team for the next 8 months. The response was great:) I really believe that God is working on that campus, and will continue to do so. We are excited to have gotten the opportunity to pray with and for them, as well as train and equip them. Please keep praying for those dedicated students at UNESUR!
