Pictorial Indulgence

Aloha friends and family! In the couple of weeks since our last blog we have been rather busy (big surprise right?). Fortunately, we have been busy with some new and exciting things with the BCM and our family.

First, two students on our leadership team started doing Coffee House on campus again. Each Tuesday night from 6 to 8 we load up coffee makers, espresso machines, milk, ice, coffee, cups and a car-full of sound equipment up to one of the dorm lounges. There, our students serve coffee to dorm residents and provide some free live music to set the tone. The BCM has done this in the past, and we were enthusiastically invited back by one of the residence managers to do it again this year. We are really excited about the potential this time has for allowing us an inroad to the personal and spiritual lives of students.

Second, and thanks to a handful of Hilo churches, our Free Lunch Wednesdays have been a huge success! Churches have been faithful to provide food for an average of 50 students each week at the BCM. Free Lunch is another great way to make connections with students who otherwise might not step foot in the BCM or be willing to talk about spiritual things. It also helps that the food is always delicious!

Third, this Thursday, October 21, Dr. Mike Licona of the North American Mission Board is visiting our BCM to give a lecture with Q&A on the topic, "Contradictions in the New Testament Gospels". Dr. Licona directs apologetics for NAMB and visited Hilo last fall as well to hold a similar forum. We are hoping and praying for a good turn out from more than just our students. We have papered the campus with flyers and posters and have been talking it up with students for some time now. Check out our blog next week for an update on this forum.

Finally, Nikkie, Abigail and I have had some time to just be a family together, which is a real blessing! There is a great little beach park not far from our house where the weather is great and the water is perfect. Abigail got a little feel for the ocean and we're thinking she'll be a great little swimmer in no time.

      

Nikkie has also discovered her inner Martha Stewart. Over the weekend she created a handful of personalized burp cloths for Abigail and a name plate to go over her crib. Nikkie has done such a great job of helping our house become a home, and I think there is a budding interior designer/seamstress in the works with her. It is so much fun to be married to someone who is so creative and inspiring. I am so blessed! Here is a look at her handiwork. She is taking orders now for all your burp cloth monogramming needs!

It is really amazing how so much can happen so fast in life. Please continue to pray for us as we move forward with Coffee House, reach out through Free Lunch, and venture into "Contradictions..." with Mike Licona. It is bound to be an eventful week for us. God continues to be so good. Thank you for your support and prayers.

In Christ,

Stephen, Nikkie and Abigail