Thank You

The eye is doing a lot better. I'm still having to do eyedrops, but the doctor says it should all be cleared up by the beginning of next week. Thank you to everyone who called me, emailed me, and prayed for me.

But the battle continues. The original plan this week was to launch our ministry at Tulane and at Loyola. But we ran into road blocks at both schools. In fact, it doesn't look like we're going ot be able to be at Loyola at all this year. The administration has specifically stated it doesn't want Crusade presence at its school for now. Please continue to pray against the strongholds in the city. Please continue to pray for the lives on the students on these campuses, and that God will open the door somehow for us to bring the gospel to the campus.

I still can't believe that a uear has already passed since this city was hit with Katrina. The city is still devastated and there is so much work yet to be done. Click here for a perspective from one of my teammates (who is originally from Louisiana).

I had the opportunity to attend the Presidential address to New Orleans yesterday. And it accomplished two things. It caused me to develop a greater respect for our President, and more importantly a greater compassion for the people of New Orleans.

Strange Things...

strange things keep happening...

BUT before we get to those, here's an update on how our first week of launching on campus has been going. We spent the first two days passing out FSKs (Freshmen Survival Kits - laundry bags filled with a New Testament, a DVD, a CD, and a book...something like More than a Carpenter or Blue Like Jazz, etc) The purpose is two folds, we want to sow broadly (each kit also has a link to NOLAstudents.com), and to surface potential student leaders who have been called to reach their campus.

I have to be honest, as I've been praying this week, I've realized that I don't truly believe that God has raised up students who can start movements on these campuses. But as I've continued to pray, I sense the Lord giving me greater and greater faith.

Yesterday, we had a meeting for all those who were interested. We had 12 students show up to be potential leaders!!! I don't like to read into things, but as I was praying with one of the students who is interested in starting epic, the thought occured to me that Jesus started with 12 disciples!

But as we continue with our starting up on all the campuses, I'm continually reminded of the spiritual war that we're in. I'm not one to quickly attribute things to spiritual warfare, but I can't explain these things in any other way. In hte past couple weeks, we had two different people on our team fall down some stairs on different occasions. The little 2 year old girl of one of the families dislocated her arm. People are having technology problems with their computers and their cell phones. Monday night, both my roommate and I have really bad headaches. And then yesterday, halfway through the day, my eye started hurting really bad. I could barely keep it open. It was really sensitive to light, was really red, and kept tearing up. I managed to get an appointment with a doctor to find that somehow, I developed a really bad eye infection. And because of that, I had to miss being on campus today, and I won't be able to travel with the team to Southeastern Lousiana University (about an hour away) tomorrow...the doctor wants to see me again tomorrow afternoon.

Satan is trying to discourage us and will stop at nothing to keep us off campus and away from these students. PLEASE join with us in praying. We desperately need your prayers cause we must be doing something right, and satan is not excited.

A Call to Arms

definition - A rallying term used by proponents of a cause.

***warning***
this entry is a bit long, but continue reading if you desire to respond to the "call to arms". We need people to join with us in prayer!!!!


After being in New Orleans now for about 3 weeks, most of it spent in meetings with my new team discussing team values, vision, dynamics, and planning for the year, we are finally hitting the campus today.

I wanted to ask each of you to consider joining our team in ministry over the next three weeks through your prayers. When Campus Crusade initially started at UCLA, it began with a prayer chain. We are asking staff and friends to join us in prayer. Today is our first official day on campus and for the next three weeks, all of our our major campuses will begin. The first few weeks of the fall are some of the greatest time of momentum and to gather student leaders. The spiritual battle is still very evident here in New Orleans. We need your prayer support. Here is a list of things you can be praying for us:

Our launch days (those are days that we try to launch ministries) - that God would open doors and bring us committed students to lead movements all over campus. For the University of New Orleans we have tables set up for the 21st - 23rd. Pray for key leaders with Epic (the Asian American ministry) , IMPACT (African American ministry) and regular Crusade. We hope to launch the next week at Tulane and Southeastern Louisiana. For every campus but UNO, we still need to get permission to set up tables. Pray that God would open doors.

Loyola - we were denied as a campus ministry at Loyola even though the summer project had many interested students - pray that God would give us favor there!

Tulane - our petition to become a recognized organization is out - we think Tulane was denied in the past (5 years ago)so pray that God would give us favor now

New Believers - pray that we would get to share the gospel a lot and see many new believers.

The Relief Team - they are helping us with campus ministry and we are trying to incorporate the efforts - pray for wisdom and lots of student involvement.

Pray that we would get connected with other believers in a prayer network.

Pray for our team to continue to get along well and work well together. For good relationships in the community and wisdom.

Lastly, pray against any forms of spiritual attacks. New Orleans is a very spiritual place. Its history includes many forms of spirituality that is very much against what the gospel represents. Many have come through the city and sensed spiritual strongholds. Strongholds that can be broken through only through prayer. Just a few days ago as I was spending time in the Word, praying for the semester, I was reading in the gospel of John. I distinctly read the words "do not pray to God". It caused me to stop and reread the paragraph several times thinking...there's no way what I just read is really in the Bible. And of course, those words weren't really in the Bible. But those words had come into my head so loud and clear that I knew that the evil one was trying to feed lies into my head. Satan doesn't want our team to share the gospel on these campuses. Satan doesn't want us to help usher in movements of believers that will transform the culture of these campuses and the culture of the city. And so we must pray. We must fall to our knees and pray!!!

Please join with us in praying for these next three weeks.

Another summer project came and went

Life has been a bit crazy. I got back from project on July 23. Flew into Houston, spend the afternoon and evening with my parents. Drove back into Austin late that night around 2:30 am. I then had about a week to pack up my house to move to New Orleans. I still can't believe I moved. But before I get into my move to New Orleans, I feel I still need to wrap up summer project.

This summer was another one of my more enjoyable summers. Eight students and 11 staff participated on the project. Four days out of the week, we did ministry on college campuses - trusted God for new simple movements to start up in our short 4 weeks there. Each Saturday, we headed up to San Francisco and participated in more mercy/compassion type ministries. And to be honest, these days were a lot more stretching for me. God really used the days to grip my heart for those that are different than me. One day, we ministered at a place like a "half-way house". We passed out lunches and prayed for those staying there - many of whom were strung out on alcohol or drugs. Through my interaction with them, I was reminded of the hunger and thirst of the woman at the well in John 4. Another day, we ministered at a youth center for trans-genders. I must admit, I didn't know what to expect, not having interacted with trans-genders before. But I must say, it was one of my more enjoyable activities of the summer. The whole time I was there, God continually reminded me that He died for them as well. That He loved them and that though they may be different, they are people too. It's such a simple thing. And even as I write about it, I think, uh...duh, but it really was a profound experience for me.

I could go on and on with the stories, but check out some of these links to others blogs:
http://www.xanga.com/Truongalong/507700598/wow.html?nextdate=last
http://denchen.blogspot.com/ (read the epic bay area project posts - there are 9 of them)

Okay, more about my transition to New Orleans later.