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Welcoming the Nations. Exploring the Gospel. Equipping the Saints.


One of the Greatest Parties I Didn't Attend...

Dear <<First Name>>

January and February were rough for Bagby family. We began the New Year by catching the latest COVID variant, and then struggled with coughs, colds, snotty noses and stomach bugs for the next two months. Two weekends back to back, Brighton was laying around on the couch recovering from a night of vomiting. And on the day for our Lunar New Year party, I began feeling nauseous as well. As the day progressed, it became painfully obvious that I was not going to make our party. I'm a bit of a control freak at times, so it was a humbling moment for me to hand the reigns off to Josh, Harrison, my volunteers and our host family, the Wilsons. I so easily forget that though God delights to include us in His work, He is never limited by our absence.
 
The Wilsons were fantastic hosts, Josh and Harrison ran the show beautifully and two of our Chinese students, *Yelena and Ben,* gave our group the unforgettable experience of making Chinese dumplings at our party. Altogether we had 43 people show up to the party (maybe our largest one yet). Everyone had a great time making dumplings, playing chopstick games and enjoying good food and fellowship. When the party concluded, the text messages began rolling in, thanking us for such a wonderful event. One of *Yelena's* friends from Turkey sent me this email: 

"Thank you very much for the invitation to such a meaningful event. We all had so much fun yesterday night. I am glad to be part of it and learn new people and gain new experiences such as making dumplings :) Definitely, you all (Harrison, Josh, Jennifer and all the community) are doing great job for all international students."

It was so thrilling to see in my absence how well my team loved our students that evening as they extended the hospitality of Christ's body to them. Students continue to talk about this event to this day, and many of them have joined us for Table Talk and a few have come to Church with us as well. God is at work in our ministry and I'm so grateful that you are a part of that work!

*Names changed for his protection*

Group Photo from our Lunar New Year Party (eyes blurred for their protection)
Dumplings Galore!
Playing with Chopsticks
Camping Conversations 

After a two year hiatus because of COVID, we finally got another chance to take students camping again for Spring Break. Having worked out some of the kinks from our first trip back in 2020, we pulled out all the stops to make this one of the best foodie camping trips ever. With the help of our Indian and Chinese friends, we feasted like kings eating gourmet meals cooked over a fire or a camp stove. The night before our trip, I was in the kitchen with our Indian friends for six hours marinating chicken and preparing the base ingredients for some of the best Tandoori Chicken & Chicken Tikka Masala that I have ever had in my life. Aside from eating great food, we had tons of quality time with our students getting to hike, fish, play games and relax around a campfire. For me, the best part of the week was the gospel conversations that my volunteers and I had with students during trip and in the car rides home. 

We’ve had the great privilege this year of befriending the only two Burmese students at Texas A&M, *Phil and Wendy.* Their country of Myanmar [a.k.a Burma] is predominantly a Buddhist country in Southeast Asia that suffered a lot under the hands of a brutal military regime in recent years. *Phil and Wendy* started attending Table Talk with us this semester, and they also decided to come camping with us this year. Both of them are interested in religion generally, but *Wendy* is seriously seeking answers to some of her deepest questions. On our way home from the camping trip, she asked Harrison and I question after question about what it means to be Presbyterian. Sensing that we were getting into the minutia of things, I flipped the question back to her, “So what do you believe?” Very honestly *Wendy* explained that she had grown up Buddhist, but as she’s seen the violence done in her country, she’s grown tired of hearing it explained as “karma” and atonement for wrong doings in a past life. “I don’t really know what I believe right now, I guess that’s why I’m so interested in religion” [to paraphrase her concluding thought]. She went on to say that she sees many similarities between the world religions, that most religions are teaching us how to be a good person. While affirming the moral component that is present in every religion, I explained further that the difference in Christianity though was not what we do for God but what God has done for us in Christ that makes all the difference. She thought this was beautiful and as our conversation came to an end, *Wendy* was expressed a desire to continue talking further and to come with us to Church. I am pleased to say that *Wendy* has joined us for worship at Westminster Presbyterian Church and has had other gospel conversations with volunteers and other Christian students in RUF International. Please pray that our conversations with *Wendy* and for *Phil* would continue and that they would come to find true hope by embracing Jesus in faith. 

Group Photo from our Spring Break Camping Trip
Planning out food for 22 people for our camping trip was no joke! I'm glad I had these two guys along for the ride!
Enjoying some good food, fellowship and a camp fire
Living Internationally Always Makes Life More Interesting

Without a doubt, this has been my busiest year of ministry ever, but it also been one of my favorite years as well. We had more events than usual this semester, but we’ve struck a good balance of inviting students in our world while also stepping into their world as well. Within this last month we’ve gone camping, traveled to Houston for a Nowruz Festival, thrown colors on our students at an Indian Holi Festival, shared BBQ with students and taken many of them to a driving range for their first time. Life with international students always feels more colorful, more flavorful, more hospitable and always loaded with opportunity to experience something new and different. Through the hospitality given and the hospitality received, we are often met with the question, “Why do you do this?” And it is our joy and privilege in these moments to share the great love of our Savior with our International friends with the hope that one day they too might joy us in worshipping Jesus before His throne with a great multitude from every tribe, tongue and nation for all of eternity. Thank you for praying, thank you for giving, and thank you for participating with us in God’s work among the nations at Texas A&M. 

Nowruz (Persian and Central Asian New Year) Celebration down in Houston
Joint RUF and RUF International BBQ Lunch
Indian Holi Festival held on campus 
Guys Night at Big Shots Driving Range

Prayer Requests

We greatly covet your prayers for our students and for us personally. Here are some ways you can praise God with us and be praying for us in the weeks to come:

  • Praise God for a fantastic camping trip with students that resulted in many gospel conversations afterwards 
  • Praise God for many great discussions at Table Talk this semester
  • Praise God for a wonderful team of volunteers that have done such a great job welcoming student in and exploring the gospel with them
  • Please pray for our friends *Bella, Wendy, Phil, Sam, Rocky, April, Ben, Sonny* and others who have shown much interest in the gospel and continue to dialogue with us about who Jesus is. Please pray that God would open their heart to receive Christ Jesus by faith 
  • Please pray for that we would be able to take 5 or more students with us to RUF Summer Conference, May 23rd - 27th
  • Please pray for several students to join us for Easter Worship and for lunch in volunteer homes afterwards 
  • Please pray for more one on one conversations with students 
  • Please pray that Crystal and I would have a strong marriage 
  • Please pray also that we love and parent Brighton and Blaire well
  • Please pray most of all that the love of Christ would inform all we do

Please let me know how we can be praying for you as well!

Your gifts play a vital role in helping us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with students coming from all over the world through gospel deeds and gospel words. Please help us to continue welcoming the nations at Texas A&M through our 21/22 school year.

If you would like to give to this ministry financially, please click the GIVE button below to make a contribution on the RUF-I Texas A&M donation page. 
If you would like to give by check, please write "RUF-I Texas A&M" or "account # 0512" in the memo line and send checks to:

Reformed University Fellowship

P.O. Box 890004

Charlotte, NC 28289-0004

RUF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.


May the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
Titus, Crystal, Brighton, and Blaire Bagby
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