Missions Update from Steve & Laura Nugent
Dear friends at Dix Hills Ev. Free,
A staff woman smiled as she handed me a hairnet to wear. For a second I felt a little silly putting it on, but it was necessary for handling the food – and since everyone else in our office was wearing one I felt less self-conscious. I was directed to a packing table where others were already at work, and I began sealing plastic bags filled with relief meals for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Through a partnership of the U.S. Campus Ministry, Global Aid Network (GAiN) and Kids Against Hunger, we kicked-off our goal of packing over 1 million meals for victims affected by the Haiti earthquake. But our participation in this compassionate work was only a preliminary piece of something larger that God was planning to do at Big Break, the Campus Ministry’s annual spring break conference and outreach. This is but one story that we thought would be encouraging to you:
Samantha (below, white shirt) and Natalie (yellow swimsuit) have been friends for a few years. Both traveled from Wisconsin to Panama City Beach, Fla. for spring break, but neither had plans of getting together during the week. One went to Florida to party, the other went to grow in her newfound relationship with God. Their paths seemed headed in completely different directions.
This was the first time the Big Break conference partnered with GaiN, the humanitarian aid ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. The goal of the partnership was to bring students off the beach, have them pack meals, and establish an atmosphere where the gospel can be brought into conversation during that packing process. And that’s just what Samantha did.
The University of Wisconsin junior was attending her first Big Break after trusting Christ this past December. Knowing Natalie would be in Panama City Beach, Samantha called and invited her to take part in the Haiti relief effort. Not only was Natalie excited to help, she brought her friend Amber to join as well.
The next day, Samantha accompanied Natalie and Amber into the hallway of the Edgewater Beach Resort where the meal-packing frenzy would occur. Music bellowed into their ears from speakers down the hall. Rice seemed to dance on nearby tables as the bass thumped its way throughout the complex, while the sharp aroma of burnt plastic overtook their senses.
The friends settled in at a table where they’d be checking bags for weight, and then sealing them to be shipped. After getting acquainted with their respective tasks, Samantha and her friend Katie (blue shirt) began engaging with Natalie and Amber (black shirt) about spiritual things.
Katie asked the girls some questions from the Quest spiritual surveys the students had been using on the beach. After some more discussion between the four young women, Amber asked, “how do you know God’s plan? How do you get there?”
Katie explained that a relationship with God comes through faith in Jesus Christ. “I was able to go through some of the points of the gospel,” she said. “I was so excited.”
After the meals were packed, Natalie and Amber expressed an interest to attend a Big Break conference session. And although we haven’t heard the end of this story, we praise God for how our putting on hairnets and packing meals led to sharing the Good News with college students on spring break – and serving the needy in Haiti.
This month you can pray for us in these ways:
- That we would daily experience intimacy, joy, and peace in Jesus.
- Continued prayer for Lauren’s health. Her headaches have started to come back in recent days, though still not quite as severe as in February. Pray for her healing and that God would lead us to the right doctors that could help with any needed treatment.
- For Steve’s ministry team as we continue to work on revisions to our new staff training curriculum. Many new changes or additions are being considered, and wisdom is needed in writing an effective and comprehensive training that will also not overburden our new staff.
Thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement, and support. Let us know how we can pray for you!
Grace & Peace,
Steve, Lauren, Holly, & Collin
Visit us on the web: theNugents.cccministry.org
Home address:
12084 Lake Cypress Circle, Apt. J 103
Orlando, FL 32828
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