Dear friends
Thank you for following and participating in the work of IFES around the world. Without you, and God's work through you, our work would be incomplete.
A few weeks ago Daniel Bourdanné wrote, sharing his joys from 2009, and encouraging us all to do the same.
He wrote:
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Often at the start of a new year, we can be tempted to ask what our labours have achieved over the past 12 months. In the process, we can be carried away by the culture of wanting instant success and seeing only failure: a budget deficit, unfinished projects, various hurts and discouragements. We lose the joy that leads us to thank God for his provision and his faithfulness. We lose the joy of our investment in students for long-term fruit, the joy of seeing the impact of our ministry in the church and in society, the joy of simply serving God by offering our lives without expectation of any instant success.
So, I want to share with you some of my many joys from 2009. I encourage you to do the same with others, so that we can all be infected by this response of gratitude to the Lord which spills over into praise and celebration. I will also be pleased to hear your joys from 2009 and how God is speaking to you.
- The joy of making a long term investment
On my visits to national movements, students, staff and board members have told me that they embrace the Living Stones vision and want to be involved in implementing it. I feel an overflowing joy to know that all the IFES general secretaries will soon meet in Malaysia for a conference on the vision (3-11 March) to be inspired and challenged by one another and, above all, by God. I pray we will see this vision become a reality.
- The joy of seeing our prayer life being strengthened
In 2009 we did not just talk about prayer, teach the theology of prayer or do Bible studies on the topic of prayer. We prayed! On World Student Day (6 November 2009) many people from all around the world prayed together. Each working day in the International Service Centre we dedicate 30 minutes to pray for national movements. Our International Executive Committee includes prayer for the movements as an integral part of its agenda when it meets. Some movements have appointed prayer coordinators and others are thinking of doing so.
- The joy of visiting and meeting people
A letter doesn't smile, so I was glad to have the joy of visiting a number of national movements last year: Focus Sri Lanka, IFES Netherlands, SMD Germany, the two Canadian movements (Inter-Varsity and GBUC), SCFSU Jamaica, GHAFES Ghana, FOCUS United Arab Emirates, GBU Spain, GBU Italy, CCX Ukraine, InterVarsity/USA, UCCF Great Britain, GBU Francophone Africa. I shared with students, staff and their families, board members, church leaders and university authorities; the visits were a joy.
- The joy of seeing the fruit of evangelism and mission
InterVarsity/USA has seen many more professions of faith among students, including at the Urbana 2009 missions convention, where several hundred students gave their lives to the Lord. In the Middle East and North Africa, an increasing number of students, some from Muslim backgrounds, coming to faith. In Europe, there have been excellent initiatives to train evangelists who can communicate effectively in the secular university world, and many small evangelistic Bible study groups have started following training by the regional team. There are also glimmers of hope in some closed countries in East and South Asia, where we hope to see pioneering ministry very soon.
- The joy of depending on the Lord's faithfulness
Despite the economic recession and financial difficulties last year, lack of funding did not stop our work amongst students. Some of you demonstrated greater generosity to others and some have shown more creativity in mobilising volunteers to do the work. The situation has led IFES to consider the urgent need of growing our indigenous support, so we will soon recruit a 'champion' who will lead this local fundraising initiative, working initially with some selected national movements.
- The joy of seeing increasing student initiative and generosity
I am renewed in my passion when I hear of students taking initiatives in evangelism, sometimes using unusual ideas such as new media and mobile phones. Last October I was also delighted to hear that NIFES Nigeria students were themselves fundraising to buy tents for the campsite for their missions convention in 2010. I later read that they managed to raise US$11,000! In June 2009 I was moved to receive financial gifts for my own ministry from students in several Latin American countries. Men in my culture do not readily cry, but I was unable to stop the tears when I heard of this generosity from some of the poorest countries in the world.
- The joy of working in a team
I treasure the members of my senior leadership team which consists of women (not as many as I would like) and men who have been fashioned and prepared by God for mission and who are passionate about student ministry. I look forward to each face-to-face meeting and each time we connect on our regular teleconference calls.
The things for which we can give thanks to the Lord far outnumber the discouragements and allow us to look to the future with hope and confidence. This is why I want us not to look at the disappointments of 2009, nor to be influenced by the world's philosophy of success, but to focus on the constant faithfulness of God.
Let us have a long term vision of what God is doing amongst students. Let us invest with perseverance, so that students will become living stones. Let us look forward with assurance and hope. We face trials of many kinds, but we need not be afraid because Jesus said 'see, I am with you to the end of the age' (Matthew 28:20b).
May God bless you richly through 2010.
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Please do share your joys and encouragements from 2009, either by posting a message on the IFES page, or by email to info@ifesworld.org with the subject line 'Celebrating 2009'. We would also love to hear plans you have for 2010, so that we might join you in praying for God's favour.
To read more about the IFES Living Stones vision, visit http://www.ifesworld.org/livingstones
To find out more about the Living Stones conference which starts next week, please visit https://info.ifesworld.org/livingstones where you will be able to find resources posted from the event, and engage with those who are there. We would love to have your voice represented at this strategic event.
With warmest regards,
Andy
Andy Moore
IFES Global Communications
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