For 7 weeks in the summer three 40-strong evangelistic teams drawn from Bible colleges and universities around the world tried to reach out with friendship and the gospel to some of the many thousands of language school students who flock to Cambridge. Much of the activity centres on coffee bars - Andy's and Harry's - in St Andrews St Baptist and the Henry Martyn Hall, but those here in the summer would also have noticed an International Guest Service in Eden run by the team. Many thanks also to the Eden folk who provided accommodation for some team members. The following report from Bartow Wylie of the Kairos Trust gives much to encourage us. John and Di Lister
Very many thanks to all who prayed, who hosted CIO team members, who helped in various other ways, and who talked to visitors when we came to your church for international student guest services. God heard your prayers and honoured your practical help and has worked in the lives of so many people who we met this summer.
The guest services were a real highlight this year. We often have small numbers of international visitors for the first service and slowly build up, but this year we had at least twenty at all of the services, with thirty or more at two of them. When students come to these services it says two things: firstly that they have really appreciated the friendship of the team members and want to spend Sundays with them as well as the other days of the week; and secondly that they have a growing interest in learning more about the Christian message they've chatted about in the coffee bars, and maybe studied in more depth in the optional Bible studies. In fact this year we added another opportunity to learn, running two consecutive Visa courses (introduction to Christianity courses designed for international students) during some midweek afternoons. These were very enthusiastically attended by a small group each time.
So what was the impact? It's hard to tell in detail, but some things stand out. - nearly 100 team members learnt more about what it is to serve God and to be witnesses for Him. And they now know far more about all sorts of people from all sorts of interesting countries - China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan as every year; most of Europe in smaller numbers; a few Latin Americans; some from Oman, Jordan, Syria, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. They've found that they can make friends with these people. They now understand far better what makes each one tick, the things that are different from us, and the things that are in fact just the same.
They've been amazed (especially those who were new to this sort of ministry) just how open their new friends were to talking about Christian faith. And they've seen how faithful God is in answering so many specific prayers. Some team members' lives have been significantly changed through this. - of those we met 33 have asked to be put in touch with Christians when they leave Cambridge, others are staying here and we are still in regular touch, and still others have not asked for Christian contacts because they already knew believers before they came but will go back to them with renewed interest. - seven students have professed faith in one way or another. In some cases this is very much a start of discipleship with some basic learning still to do, while others very clearly knew what it meant to turn to Christ. One girl was baptised during CIO, and another has said she is now planning to be baptised. They come from China (2), Japan (4) and one guy from France.
Please pray for the team members that they will be faithful in continuing the relationships they have started, and pray for those who have professed faith and those who have shown interest that God's good work in them will come to completion. He hears.