Chicago and Las Vacas

My time at Moody a few...years ago was without a doubt the most formative time in my adult life. Moody was and is special. It is a wholly Christian culture made of combining a lot of international students from all over the globe with a bunch of kids from smalltown U.S.A. and transplanting them into a world-class city with all the challenges and privileges that such a city like Chicago affords.

This was the second straight year that Samuel and I had the opportunity to represent CAM Int'l (name change coming!) at MBI. I cannot begin to express how meaningful my time was there again this year. Deeply meaningful. Transcendent. Radically renewing. Crazy, laugh-out-loud fun.

We were able to touch base with a few former interns...Micah Brewster and Robert Loffler. We listened to men whom God has used and is using greatly, like George Verwer and Neil Cole. We talked to people about potentially serving with us and others in our mission on internships and short-term experiences. We participated in worship services where scripture and prayer happened in 30+ languages. But most of all...we made new friends with some very special people.

Samuel and I were both providentially placed on Culbertson (Colby) 16. The Cows, or Las Vacas. Victor is Mexican-Guatemalan, J.P. is black, Jonathan is Jewish, Andrew is a super R.A., and Daniel Godsave has the most theologically balanced name I've ever come across. Luke and Nate are certifiably crazy, and Samuel and Kenny do their best to counter-balance them, but with little success. Jason is a sweet guy incapable of malice.

Every time I hear about how the U.S. and most of the western world's young people are falling away from God, and I think about that verse that says, "when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth," I think about MBI, and now I think about this group of guys on Colby 16, and say...YES. Yes, he will. Faith is alive and well. It is dynamic, inspiring and vibrant. It is serious and humorous. It is, in a word, REAL.

Thanks, Micah, for the tacos, even though we can get much better ones here. Thanks, Robert, for your old-soul friendship and for translating the second workshop. Thank you, Alyssa, for your joy. Thank you Alexis, for your vision for media. You're going to change the world. Thanks Mr. Ed., for your life, example, and for driving in from the suburbs to talk. Thanks Colby 16, for accepting us, embracing us and encouraging us. Thank you Jesus, for creating the supernatural basis for friendship and spiritual family.