We're moving!

We've been honored to have Blogger host our Blog for a while now. In order to simplify things, we've decided to move our blog to another website, which will hopefully be simpler. You can check out our new blog at:

http://www.wsucru.org/blog

If you subscribe via a reader, click on the RSS link on our blog.

Thanks for sticking with us!

Helping Seniors Transition After College...

This Friday, we are hosting a dinner & seminar for seniors at Washington State University in order to help them transition into life after college. 

One of Campus Crusade for Christ's goals is to send every person into their community as an ambassador for Christ. Many college students that are involved with Campus Crusade for Christ in college have a great experience during college, but have difficulty making the transition into engaging into their community (whether it be at work, at home, or at their church). 

Our hope during this seminar is to help alleviate some of the concerns and difficulties that come with life after college. Some of the topics will include:

• The Great Commission & impacting the Kingdom of God for a lifetime
• Living out of your priorities
• Practical ways to plug into a church & community
• Managing Finances & Stewardship
• Practical tips for ministry w/ Friends & Co-workers

One practical resource that we are passing onto our students, is a website created by Campus Crusade for Christ called All Callings. This website is dedicated to helping ministry-minded people connect with others in their community around the globe. 

Have you done something similar with graduating seniors? What have you done? What else could we communicate over dinner?

Thanks to jcestnik for the photo above

More information about first year students at WSU

Campus Crusade staff and student leaders were encouraged at the findings of what WSU students are willing to share on the campus of WSU. Many people think that spirituality is on the decline and that students simply aren't willing to talk about spiritual things. The data actually shows very differently.

Some can argue that the data is a bit skewed, because students had to be willing to fill out a survey that most likely involved questions about spiritual things. But, we believe that it is a fairly accurate representation of students at our major University.

The survey was 'incentivized' by a chance to win 'whatever you want' (with stipulations, of course) up to $100. We collected the surveys, and put up our 'posts' at each of the 3 dining halls around the WSU campus.

Here were the questions we asked on the survey:

Which of the following is most important to you?
- Success - Fulfillment - Security - Happiness - Love

Do you believe there is a higher power?
- Yes - No - Maybe

Would you be willing to take 20 minutes this semester to give your input on Spiritual things?
- Yes - No - Maybe

Would you like to know more about Campus Crusade for Christ's weekly meeting, Cru?
- Yes - No - Maybe

Name / Res. Hall & Room # / Phone

We were encouraged by how many students said they would be willing to talk with someone about spiritual things - and not even knowing who that person might be! Just think of how willing people might be willing to talk with someone about spiritual things if they had a relationship with that person!

One thing that was striking to us, was what students said was most important to them. The most common answer by far was 'happiness.' See the breakdown below of males vs. females:





How might we consider this as we approach sharing the gospel with students at WSU? What do you think? Do you have any ideas for how to talk with students who say that 'happiness' is their ultimate goal in life?

We would love to hear your thoughts...

What do first year students at WSU believe?

Recently, Campus Crusade for Christ at WSU engaged with first year students on campus through surveys. In exchange for filling out a survey, students were entered into a drawing to win 'whatever they wanted' up to $100 - with stipulations of course.

From 3 dining halls around campus, we gathered 850 total surveys, and recorded the responses we received from students.

So, what are first year students at WSU saying? Here were some of their responses through the surveys:






Look for some more interesting statistics - like whether males or females are more likely to talk about spiritual things, or if people that don't believe in a higher power are more or less likely to be willing to give their spiritual input.

Overall, we were encouraged by the results of the surveys. We feel like many students at WSU are open to engage in spiritual conversation. Does this surprise you? What about on your campus, do you think this is similar to other campuses around the nation? We'd love to hear!

The Winners of the "Win Whatever You Want" Contest!

Congratulations to Alec Hinn, Sean Myers, and Kaitlyn Kamstra - the recent winners of the "Win Whatever You Want" Contest!

If you're interested, Alec will be getting a Simon Mall gift card (a little close to a cash prize, but we'll call it good and give it to him), Sean will be getting a pair of snow gloves (his choice, up to a $100 value), and Kaitlyn will be getting something of her choice (she has yet to tell us what she wants).

If you weren't aware, WSU Cru set up tables near campus dining centers at WSU during the first week of the spring semester. The "Win Whatever You Want" contest was a way for us (WSU Cru) to get some feedback from first year students at WSU about their spiritual interests.

Here are some of the questions we asked first year students at WSU:

Which of the following is most important to you?
- Security - Love - Fulfillment - Success - Happiness -

Do you believe there is a higher power?
- yes - no - maybe -

Would you be willing to take 20 minutes to give your input on spiritual issues?
- yes - no - maybe -

Would you like to know more about Campus Crusade for Christ's weekly meeting, "CRU"?
- yes - no - maybe


We'll try to post some of the interested statistics from this survey - especially what students feel is most important to them! Thanks for helping us out, WSU students!

Any feedback from this survey? What's most important to you? Feel free to comment below!

Campus Crusade for Christ & Haiti

Above: Capitol Building in Haiti.

Following the devastation of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday evening in Haiti, Campus Crusade for Christ is doing what we can to help all that are affected by the destruction.

There are staff members in Haiti that we are praying for - involved in the Campus Ministry as well as the Jesus Film Project. We appreciate your prayers for those staff members - so far there have been reports that those who have been found are doing well and in good health. Our national team is still trying to contact those that we have yet to hear from - please pray for them and their families.

Global Aid Network (GAiN) is another ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ that is responding to the physical needs of Haitians that are affected by the quake, as they specialize in relief and development of those countries / areas in need. GAiN currently has containers in Haiti that contain 1 million meals, and another 8 large containers of food and much needed supplies ready to be shipped.

If you are looking for a way to be involved in the relief, GAiN is in need of financial resources in order to distribute food and supplies. You can give financially directly through their website, www.gainusa.org

We also know of one fellow Coug that was in Haiti at the time of the earthquake, Megan Simmons. We have heard that she is doing ok, but nothing more.

Please nclude your prayers, prayer requests, or any information you might have about people in Haiti in the comments below.

WSU Cru alumni - Kelsey Martin and "Women of Hope International"

Kelsey Martin is a 2008 graduate of WSU. She was a leader with Cru during her time as an undergraduate and is now working for Highline Community College as an Employment Consultant. Kelsey has been actively involved with a ministry called "Women of Hope" that exists to bring whole person healing to women with disabilities in Sierra Leone. Here is a portion of a recent update we got from Kelsey...

A summary of our last trip is difficult, but we were able to accomplish the majority of what we had set out to do in the short two and a half weeks there. The first week was dedicated to meeting with the local non-governmental organizations (NGO’s), other humanitarian aid agencies and governmental officials in the area. Our focus was on assessing the services already provided to women with disabilities and to begin networking with those already serving women there. We were so thankful to be welcomed warmly by everyone we encountered as they openly affirmed of the tremendous need forWOHInt. We hired three full time Sierra Leonean staff and assembled and met with our SL Advisory Board during this time as well.

The second week was emotionally exhausting as we held focus groups with representatives chosen from the blind, deaf, polio, amputee, war-wounded and leprosy communities. Every woman had a unique story about how society tells her she is worthless and the many barriers she faces living in the poorest country in the world. Most women were sexually exploited in some way, and all experience isolation and significant poverty. We facilitated brainstorming around solutions. While I had been to the country before and I had researched the trials of women with disabilities, nothing could have prepared me for hearing their deeply personal stories for myself, and developing friendships.

I returned home overwhelmed. I wrote this letter three different times before today. Each time I struggled with communicating all that I learned while still questioning what role God has me play in His desire to bring restoration to the women. Today I am sure that God wants to use myself and Women of Hope International to facilitate healing and the restoration of dignity and hope to women with disabilities in Sierra Leone. He has given WOHInt a strategic plan of action and our prayer is that gospel transformation will take place for these women and inspire the development of a community!

Venture 2010 - Final video

Great conference, Cougs! We're excited for the upcoming semester. See you next week!


Venture 2010 Conference Final Video from Venture on Vimeo.