April Prayer Letter - Riots

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

- Unknown Author

Can you believe it has happened again?  I guess it isn’t too difficult to believe after all the trouble the past few months.  At the end of February, students started protesting again and this time things got really violent.  Somehow, one of the security companies or the police ended up shooting live ammunition rather than rubber bullets and two students were injured.  That night, the students set fire to two buildings.  The Science Center was completely destroyed and one wing of the administration building was severely damaged.  The fire department actually refused to come on campus to fight the fires due to the student riots and potential risk to the firefighters. (for news coverage of the event visit https://youtu.be/HTST2tcmS44)

The next day, the university shut down the campus once again, but this time the students were sent home for a month.  Thankfully, I only had to move out for a couple of days and have been able to return to my home on campus.

The semester is scheduled to start again March 29^th.  To make up the missed days, the Easter break has been shortened by one week, a testing week as been eliminated, and classes will be held on Saturdays.

However, as none of the issues instigating the riots have yet been resolved, I can only foresee further problems once the semester is restarted.  The university has noted, “Any further disruptions to this already tight schedule will compromise our quality and leave us with no option but to lose the first semester and subsequently the whole year.”

In light of these events and difficulties, prayer is critical and your support is invaluable.  Please pray for:

I assume the clinic will still be open if the university shuts down long term (it has been open this last month), but without the students, my ministry opportunities fell drastically reduced.

In light of these events and difficulties, prayer is critical and your support is invaluable.  Please pray for: 

• Peace and safety on campus for staff and students. 
• Wisdom for administrative and student leadership as they work through the student body complaints/demands. 
• Direction in ministry should the worst happen and the university close for a prolonged period.
• The women’s group I am currently leading at Calvary Baptist Church. For the next few months, we are studying how to share the gospel and disciple new believers.  This can be a difficult and spiritually challenging topic.  Please pray that they actively put into practice the techniques and skills they are learning.
• The 120 kids in AWANA at Calvary Baptist as they start up again after Easter break.  Pray that they will clearly hear and understand the gospel and hide God’s word deep in their hearts.