California, part 1

In March our Connexxion campus group went on what has become a yearly spring break trip. We always visit 1 or 2 innovative churches in the USA, spend extended time with a like-hearted campus ministry, as well as attend a college conference at Glorieta, New Mexico. This year for the 1st time we visited a campus in Los Angeles where, in the '90's, I poured out my life for 2 years on staff, the University of Southern California. Here is our group of 9 students & staff (I'm #10, shooting the photo), along with 3 USC staffers of the BSU-type group, "Christian Challenge." Tommy Trojan towers above.

Yes, I had been somewhat intimidated those first months there. Would I be able to relate to students whose parents could actually PAY for that kind of private education? I went to Baylor but that was still not on that par. Did I have some way to relate to the women athletes who became part of my new Bible study? I had always grown up being one of the more intelligent people in MY circles, at least, & graduated 4th in my high school class-- but again, was not as smart as these folks, I thought. What about the students who did NOT pay for their studies, but were so smart that they passed a national test with some ridiculously amazing score and got a scholarship?! God tested my ability to reach people from the heart, and not necessarily from the head!

We set up an info. table about the spiritual condition of Western Europe at the "Challenge" worship time, as well as at each church & group we visited.