Semana de los Valores (Week of Values) at UTP...

Sometimes I forget how busy life gets down here! We are finally back to a more normal schedule, after taking a two week theology course in addition to our work on campus. The course was pretty interesting, yet at the same time it has felt good to be back on campus on a more regular, daily basis.

Looking back over the past couple weeks, one large highlight was the Week of Values at the Universidad Tecnologica de Panama (UTP), that took place Sept 23-26:

God opened so many doors on the UTP campus this week!! Right from the time we (Vida Estudiantil, VE) were invited to participate in the Week of Values, up until the end of the week, we were amazed at God's provision and work. Each day when we arrived on the UTP campus, we had a brief time of prayer and organization, and then were linked up with a member of the administration who took us to our assigned classroom. I was amazed to see these administrators simply usher us into the class and announce that we had something important to share with the students! Our campus staff team was able to present the lectures along side all of the Cruzada staff from other ministries, which was a unique opportunity. Some students involved in the ministry also took part in these lectures. I was in one lecture where a student from UTP was able to share a brief story about his involvement with VE and how the Gospel transformed His life.

On Wednesday, we also had the opportunity to throw a concert in the main courtyard entrance of the campus, and had an information table table set up. At the information table, we got to use an innovative evangelism tool, called Soularium ( see http://www.mysoularium.com/ for info). How this tool works is students look at various thought provoking images on a table or wall, and then answer questions on their life, spiritual walk and view of God. The images caught the eye of many of the UTP students and we were able to ask them the various questions, followed by a 4 Laws Gospel presentation.

(Left: The band playing at the concert; Right: Soularium in action - Tania and Raquel talking with a student)

The concert was both an outreach opportunity to share with a large crowd how they can know Jesus personally, and also to increase awareness of Vida Estudiantil presence on the campus. Just after the concert, a girl named Jeaniris came up to my partner, Marielena, and I, and was very interested in knowing more about VE. She explained how she was a Christian, but felt like her present relationship with God and going to church was all very mechanical. She wanted to be challenged in her faith and taught new concepts, and wanted to get involved with VE. It was such a privilege to be a link and resource for students such as Jeaniris, in their walks with God!

Overall, during the week we were on the campus, 586 students were exposed to the Gospel, and 83 were interested in getting involved in Bible Studies. Praise the Lord!!!! This task, however is pretty big. Please be praying for the staff team as they begin the follow up process of meeting with students who indicated an interest of knowing more about knowing God personally.