Update after a few days on campus

Our wireless Internet at the apartments has a virus, so we're unable to get anything. I am currently pretending to be a businesswoman at the swanky resort next door so that I can use their Internet. What escapades we have down here.

We started on Monday going to the campus (University of the West Indies, for those of you who don't recall). We've already seen some cool things happen. Graham and I were paired together the first day and immediately met a guy named Adrian and a girl named Paula. Adrian knew a lot about the Bible, but felt like he didn't really know God, and Paula was pretty certain that she was going to hell, though she had recently begun reading her Bible (which makes me think that our timing--God's timing--was pretty awesome). Both of them rated their desire to know God very high, and we went through the Knowing God Personally booklet with them. They were VERY interested and you could tell just by looking at them that God was working on them. We're meeting back with them tomorrow to see what questions they may have.

Then, we met a boy named Saabir. He told us that he was very organized and liked to plan out his future, and that one of his short-term goals is to accept Christ. He just hasn't taken that big step yet. So we went through the booklet with him as well, and he definitely understands everything, he just is timid about taking the plunge. We met back with him yesterday and he said that he hadn't made the decision yet, but that he thought he might be ready by next week. He just didn't want to make a rash, emotional decision. Which is valid. We told him to think it out, be sure, but once he's sure, not to wait, because you never know what tomorrow will bring, which he thought was a good point. So we'll probably see him again next week and see where he's at. Be praying for him, for Adrian, and for Paula.

Also be praying for Rosanna. She is a Jehovah's Witness that Atalie, Becky, and I met yesterday. She has a lot of knowledge, but she's still operating under the assumption that she may or may not be one of the 144,000 that make it into Heaven. So we went through the book and told her that she didn't have to live life wondering if she would make it in or not. She was kind of closed off. It was like she believed what she believed and that was it. But she rated her desire to know God as a 10, so she knows that she doesn't have a relationship with him.

Everyone here is so willing to talk about spiritual things in a way that Americans never are. If you bring up spirituality in America, it will almost inevitably lead to a political debate and people are always belittled and insulted. It is not that way here. Even when people don't agree with you, they are willing to talk to you. People are ready to hear the Gospel here--they just need someone to tell them. Lucky for everyone, that's why we're here.

The very first day, Brant and Brad (our director) led a guy to Christ. The very first day. That was so far beyond what anyone could have anticipated. God is definitely doing things here. Pray that our team would remain encouraged, that our attitudes would remain positive even when we are rejected or shut down (which we have been).

Other than that, things here are good. The tops of my thighs are very burned right now, which is weird, and the bugbites are really getting me down, but everything else is good. I've been really getting to know my team a lot better this week, which has been great for our bonding and for my attitude. Especially since we had our women's lunch, things are going a lot more swimmingly. We're getting to know one another on a deeper level, and that is so important for our enjoyment of our time and for our ministry. The four of us girls are going to be sharing our stories with one another in the next couple of weeks, which I'm sure will increase our closeness even more. I'm looking forward to finding out what has shaped who these girls are.