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J. Christy Wilson, Jr. and His Impact on World Evangelization
Christy Wilson's first contact with missions came even before his first words, his first steps, or his first friendships. His childhood home in Persia (now known as Iran) was a perpetual showcase displaying God's heart for missions. His parents served as missionaries in Tabriz for two decades, and Christy's heart for God and for missions quickly grew.
When Christy was just five years old, Rev. Stefan Huviar, a beloved Nestorian evangelical pastor who labored alongside Christy's father in Tabriz, asked Christy what he wanted to do when he grew up. Christy had frequently heard his parents praying for Afghanistan, an unreached country to the east. He knew that this country, approximately the size of Texas, didn't have even one Christian.
"I want to be a missionary to Afghanistan," Christy informed Pastor Huviar. "Well," the pastor responded, "missionaries aren't allowed in Afghanistan." "That's why I want to be one there," Christy immediately replied.
Dear Friends and Partners of Penn,
The second semester is in full swing and the students are now preparing for mid-term exams this week and next. Incredibly, spring break is a mere 3 weeks away, and both students and Ministry Fellows are ready for a break.
Dear prayer partners,
We are well on our way into winter term and started off strong with our winter conference at Singing Hills Retreat Center. We were so pleased with the number of students who came, especially since we had so many freshmen (‘20s) and seniors (‘17s). As hoped, it was a restful time for the students, of hearing the word, spending time together in prayer, and connecting with new people in the ministry.
Winter Quarter is in full swing as Stanford students bear down for what typically is the heaviest course load of the academic year. Out from that lively rhythm we are calling our emerging group of freshmen to press in deeper with God and with one another as Christian Union Caritas -- Christian Union's ministry to the students at Stanford -- continues its first year. One of those freshmen, Isaiah, shares his experience so far:
Dear Prayer Partners,
Happy new year! Since you last heard from us, we’ve had time away from work with family to celebrate the Lord’s incarnation (what’s better than a Sunday Christmas?!) and spent time with all Christian Union faculty at our winter staff conference, pressing into the Lord in prayer for our campuses and nation. We are so grateful to minister at Yale with Christian Union and thank you for your partnership in this ministry!
Greetings from the campus of Harvard Law School!
With the arrival of winter in New England, the nights are longer and the periods of daylight shorter. Cooler temperatures mean more inside activities as student’s retreat to the Harvard Law School lobby with its glowing fireplaces and well-lit interior – a perfect place to study and prepare on a cold winter night.
The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
— Psalm 25:5
As you read this report, the Princeton ministry faculty, as well as around 150 Princeton undergraduate students, will be away at Camp of the Woods in Speculator, New York, for the annual “Ski Safari” winter trip. We are thrilled with the response we have gotten from students for this trip, and are excited that many students who do not yet know Jesus as Savior and Lord will be joining us as well.
A belated Welcome to 2017 — a year that promises to be eventful, no matter how you look at it. A verse that jumps to mind is Psalm 28: 7, The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him. Because He is my strength, and because I trust in Him — my response must be joy, and this is how I look at the year ahead.
Friends,
I pray you had a blessed Christmas and New Year as you celebrated with family and friends. As we, the Christian Union ministry staff at Brown University, enjoyed hosting out-of-town family and enjoying the normal seasonal celebrations, all has been pretty quiet on campus. All this will be changing now as students have just returned to campus and began classes on Wednesday. Given that students have just returned, I don’t have much to share, but I would ask that you pray for this upcoming semester.
