Hello Prayer partners! This is Casey, with update on our ministry!

It's been a while since I took students on a Spring break trip. The last time was 2010 when I worked in Mississippi. Then for eight years I took students on missions trips to Haiti; then my family moved to Delaware; then we had the pandemic. I am blessed that God gave me an opportunity this year, as well as a great group of young christians and seeking students! Trips like this fulfill part of our vision of planting new ministries because it gives us a chance to see new cities, campuses, and churches and give students and apprentices a chance to dream and pray!

The trip was full of new experiences for our group, as some had never been to NYC. In total we took six disciples and six seekers. Five of the Chinese students we befriended in February came with us, and they experienced their FIRST Christian worship service at the Manhattan Church of Christ! Our new apprentice, Lauran, joined us and brought a senior student, Michelle. My Chinese brother in Christ, Matt, helped a lot with navigating the city since he had more experience than me, and I got to take my first few rides on the subway! My seeker friend, Ben, joined us and we had great conversations about the testimonies shared at church on Sunday morning. He even joined in prayer on the prayer walk. During our prayer walk on the Columbia University campus, I encouraged our team to listen to God, take in their surroundings, and connect with students. They shared their faith and took prayer requests as we walked the campus, and our BHC intern, Jaclyn, noticed a carving in the library wall describing how the University was built: "for the public good and to the glory of Almighty God." I hope that the relationships built and revelations had on this trip continue to bless and challenge us throughout the year!

I have a few updates and prayer requests for our BHC ministry:

As of a few weeks ago, you have a new brother in Christ, Koca Chan! Koca has been with us in Newark for two years and is now moving to Toronto for work. Koca’s baptism reminds me of how my son Miles was baptized in Oxford right before we moved to Delaware. It is a perfect illustration of how baptism calls us to leave our old lives behind. As Koca moves, he will leave his old life in Delaware and begin a new life in Christ! We ask that you Pray for Koca as God continues to direct his steps!

UD had its 2023 graduation in late May, and we will miss our students who have graduated and moved away. We ask for your prayers that God continues to work on their hearts wherever they go! Even with this loss, God still has much for us to do. Throughout the summer there are still many international students and those seeking community on campus. Instead of our typical Tuesday dinner and Bible studies, we will be inviting students to join us weekly to enjoy pizza and watch season 3 of The Chosen! Our apprentice Lauran has also decided to stay during the summer and continue discipling students! We ask for prayers that God would bless these gatherings and open up new opportunities to reach people!

Thank you for supporting the good work God is doing here.

For the campus and the kingdom,

Casey