Peter Brook, Queensland campus coordinator, writes:
Location: University of Queensland UQ
Scene 1 (October 2016):
I’m sitting in a Discovery Bible Study. I watch a Japanese Christian leading three other girls in a discussion. We are looking at one of the stories in the Gospels about Jesus.
They all engage with the Scripture, and then we all pray for each other.
(Peter’s internal thought) Who is a Christian and who isn’t? mmm I can’t work it out.
Later that night, I discover that two of the three girls are seekers; Casey from China and Tamila from Ecuador.
Scene 2 (one week later):
I receive a message on my phone. (photo of 4 girls with big smiles on their faces)
caption: We have become Christians!! -Tamila and Casey
Scene 3 (February 2017):
Location: green lawn at UQ
Casey approaches an international student
Hello, I’m Casey. I’m doing a short spiritual survey. Is it OK if I ask you a few questions?
Casey is part of Beyond Brisbane and on most days they go out on campus to share the Gospel.
Hi, I’m Judy (not real name.) I came to Australia 3 days ago so I don’t know what spiritual survey is.
Well, (brief explanation of survey)
Ah, that’s good. My grandmother is a Christian so I’ll like to do survey.
After sharing the Gospel and answering her questions, Judy prays to receive Christ.
This was just one of the amazing things that happened on Beyond Brisbane—the mission to international students that happens at the end of February each year. Of the nineteen students who signed up for the mission, 5 of them had become Christians in the past 12 months—two of these had become Christians at Beyond Brisbane in 2016, and one of the others was Casey. The other incredible thing was that a student named Thea led someone to Christ. Thea is the end of a ‘chain’ of 4 new Christians starting from Melody. So this means we have experienced five generations of new Christians in under two years amongst international students in the campus ministry of Power to Change.
Scene 4 (Heaven—date uncertain):
Casey, Tamila, Thea, Melody and many, many others are re-united.
Hey!! I know you from studying in Brisbane. Yeah, come and meet Tamila and Melody. We all came to Christ there too and here’s Thea and all the others…
(Fade)
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