Back-breaking work bringing Gospel Hope

It's 8:30pm on a Tuesday night. We're waiting on *Ursula* to get home so we can deliver a bed to her. My day started with a Zoom meeting at 8:30am that morning. I had spent the whole day preparing Bible studies, making arrangements for food deliveries, and coordinating with three different parties to make this furniture delivery. I'm tired. I had been delivering furniture to students in 100+ degree weather for a couple months now, and I'm ready to be done with it. I just want to go home, relax, spend some time with Crystal, then call it a day... 

Finally *Ursula* arrives home and she's thrilled that Harrison and I have such a nice bed and frame for her! She invites us in and we help her get her bed set up. She quickly transitions into host mode, offering us gatorade that she had just bought from the store, and asks us to sit and rest a while. *Ursula* had attended a few Table Talk sessions with us in the Spring before COVID-19 brought everything to a halt. As we sat down to talk, I asked her the simple question, "how are you doing?" "Not good, Titus," she responded. "The virus is really bad back in India... My husband is stuck there... his father caught COVID... he's no longer with us." 

We were stunned to receive this news. "I'm sorry *Ursula*... can I pray for you and your family?" As I finished praying for her, we looked up to see tears rolling down her eyes. "Thank you so much. Everything is so hard right now," she said. We agreed and just sat with her in her grief for a while longer. After some time we transitioned to talking about her work and life in the US. We had a great conversation, and she thanked us again for coming and for praying with her. Right before we left, Harrison had mentioned that we were attending church again. "I would love to join you for church one day," *Ursula* said excited. "We would love to have you join us," I said in response. 

I went home that night more energized than I had been that whole day. I so easily forget that God is at work and even a simple act of hospitality can open doors for the gospel into students' lives and hearts. *Ursula* has been a faithful attender at Table Talk ever since that evening. We haven't brought her to church yet, but we're still in conversation about it. Please pray for *Ursula* and her family as they navigate the grief of losing her father-in-law to COVID. Pray ultimately that she and her family would be brought into a saving encounter with Jesus Christ, who has defeated sin and death, and has promised to make all things new. 

*Student's name changed for her protection*

Forwards not Backwards

Going into this semester, I felt sure that our ministry to international students was going to regress or shrink. And while I still acutely feel the lack of in-person connection with students, we haven't slowed down one bit! I would even say that our ministry has grown and deepened. We've been averaging around 25 people with us on our Virtual Table Talk calls for three Thursdays in a row now as we discuss who God is over a meal delivered to students' homes. The fellowship of our Friday Night Bible Study group has deepened as students continue to hang out at our house over an hour after Bible study has finished. We even started a virtual training for volunteers during the Sunday school hour at Church on Sundays. I'm so grateful for where we are as a ministry in the midst of this pandemic. God is good and He is at work in some surprising ways!

Prayer Requests

Here are some ways you can be praying for our students, our ministry and for us personally:

• Please pray for the health and safety of our students, and their families back home
• Please pray for *Ursula* and her family as they grieve the death of her father-in-law. Pray that the hope of the gospel would become real to them through this tragedy 
• Please pray for us to have wisdom as a ministry on how to share the gospel with our Hindu friends in ways that highlight the differences and show them the majesty of Christ
• Please pray for opportunities to welcome new students into our ministry 
• Please pray for relationships with current students to deepen, and for more opportunities to discuss the gospel
• Please pray that Crystal and baby girl #2 would remain healthy throughout pregnancy 
• Please pray for a safe delivery of baby girl #2 in just 6 weeks!!