December Letter from the Missionary

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I thank God for all the support you continually give me and my mission.

In November, I challenged students to think about the purpose of their lives. A lot of students said either they had no purpose or they didn't know what it was yet. For these students, Christianity feels like a set of rules to follow. As we pursue Jesus, we find that He is what we need and that our purpose resides in the incarnate God. I gave a message about this on Nov. 6 to the high school students of Grace Church. Click here to listen.

Here is a snapshot of what else happened in November:


We started a weekly club at Kestrel Heights. The student leaders are excited and taking initiative to represent Christ well at their school.





“The Real” at Hillside is attracting new students and teachers every week looking to discuss spiritual matters.





Regular visits with specific students at school lunches has helped show them that they are cared for, and they feel Christ's love seeking them out.

In His Grip,

Adam

December Student Profile: Blair Tyson

Age: 18
School: Hillside High School

1. How did you come to serve Jesus Christ? Why do you serve Jesus Christ?
“My family taught me about Jesus. I serve him cuz he's the only one that can save me.”

2. How has Jesus changed your life?
“Jesus showed me that he really exists and that miracles really happen.”

3. Who is Jesus?
“Jesus is the son of God and savior of us all.”

4.How is it difficult to be a Christian at Hillside High School?
“It isn't difficult when you let everybody know.”

5.How do you enjoy God? What about Him do you enjoy?
“I enjoy God because he lets me talk to Him like I know Him and He understands.”

6.Do you tell others about Jesus and what he has done? Why or why not?
“Yes, because I think my friends should know what I believe.”

7.What do you like about "The Real"?
“You can be yourself and you don't have to hide who you are.”

8.What is a dream that you have?
“My dream is that hopefully I will have a car, a home, and a steady income and not be stressed about where it all comes from.”

9. What is one thing you have learned that you would like to share with others?
“Jesus can change how you are.”

10. What is the purpose of your life?
“I'm not sure yet.”

December Quick Facts

69% Funds raised of $3,000/month goal
Jan. 6 is the first volunteer meeting for C3
High School Worship Event planned for mid-March

December Personal Update

I hope everyone is looking forward to a wonderful Christmas season! Elizabeth, Jilas, and I visited Kansas for Thanksgiving, but are staying in Durham for Christmas. Jilas is 16 months old on Dec. 9 – he's learned a few baby signs and loves asking for “more” of everything. Elizabeth will be 20 weeks pregnant on Dec. 27 and we will find out the sex of the baby then – we're hoping for a boy or a girl. I've been really enjoying working full-time on my ministry, and I am excited about the Christmas season.

December Prayer Requests

+ God continues to bless and show himself to the students and teachers
+ Finding a bigger place than our 1-bedroom apt. for our growing family
+ Personal strength and devotion to God's will and plan
+ Protection and blessing for our family and ministry
+ Healthy pregnancy for Elizabeth and baby

October Letter from the Missionary

Hey Everyone,

October was full of fresh faces and continued growth. I had the opportunity to interact with so many wonderful students and to see God working in their lives. In my growing weekly discussion group at Hillside we are examining how our faith works, who God is, and who we are. A student who got in trouble with the police asked, “Why do I do these things?” During these conversations I have had the opportunity to help explain God's purpose and plan for each student through Jesus Christ. Also, I am having surprising face recognition among many students in the 10 schools I visited.

I had the pleasure to participate in a lot of student led activities. Students at a morning fellowship at Durham School of the Arts want the worlds of faith and school to collide in their own mind, heart, and practices, so they formed this group to prevent their own compartmentalizing of their worldview. Also, a senior at Chapel Hill High School started a weekly Bible Study during lunch. I have visited their meetings on a regular basis and will continue to support them with prayer, food, encouragement, and whatever else they need. By the beginning of December I will be leading an after-school Christian group at Kestrel Heights Charter School in Durham. It is a blessing to see God raise up student leaders and give them a passion for the Truth.

I started a lot of solid partnerships with churches and organizations who also want to serve the High Schools. I am assisting the Young Life organization in connecting to Hillside High through off-campus clubs. I am meeting with area churches who have students at these high schools so that we may support each other to disciple our students and introduce others to the person of Jesus Christ. Connecting and working with other people and groups with a similar vision will show students the love that Jesus prayed for (John 17:20-23) as well as unity within the body of Christ.

We are starting plans for having a worship event at Hillside High School in March. I am working with the Gospel Choir Director and teachers to bring in area worship teams and speakers to inspire and mobilize the students to lead the lives God has called them to lead and to connect them with local faith communities. We are so excited about this opportunity.

My personal ministry development was marked by meaningful interactions and uplifting opportunities. I attended the John Maxwell Leadership Conference in Durham, a Grace Churches International conference, pastoral meetings, youth pastor meetings, and meetings with my mentors. I am learning a lot about growing in my faith, how I communicate that faith with high schoolers, and how to live it.

Also, I was a featured missionary at the Global Impact Celebration, October 25 – 28, held at Grace Church, along with 12 other missionaries from 5 different countries. This event helps people understand what missions are and what is currently happening across the globe. I explained what I do, what I am planning to do, and helped motivate the attendees to follow God's purpose for their lives. I received a lot of encouragement from how excited people are about my mission. Ten people volunteered to help out at the schools! [Click here to see the brochure for this event]

I look forward to what is in store for November. My goals are to continue recruiting volunteers and planning to train, manage, and use them in the schools. I will continue to move forward to start more active communities at the schools, as well as continue to raise financial support so we may reach our goal.

On a more personal note, Elizabeth and I are happy to announce that Jilas will have a brother or sister around May 16, 2008. We are all excited and cannot wait to be a family of four.

Blessings,

Adam

October Student Profile: Ryan Marcus

Age: 15
School: Hillside High School

1.Why do you serve Jesus Christ?
“I serve Him because He is my Lord and Savior and without Him there is nothing possible for me.”

2.How do you enjoy God? What about Him do you enjoy?
“I enjoy God because He is beyond great and He can make anything happen if you just believe in Him.”

3.What are some questions you have about being a Christian?
“How can you approach God? How can being a Christian determine if you are saved or not if you don't follow some of God's amendments?”

4.Do you tell others about Jesus and what he has done? Why or why not?
“Not much, but the only time I did was when God helped me and my mom and dad get a new house in 1 week.”

5.What do you like about "The Real", [the Christian discussion group at Hillside High School]?
“I like how us students get a chance to talk about God within school and I like hearing other people's opinions on God.”

6.What would you change about "The Real"?
“Trying to get a lot more students to come.”

7.What is a dream that you have?
“I have a dream to be a bio-engineer and try to be in Nascar or MLB, but my biggest dream is to go to college.”

8.What is a story about yourself that you would like to tell?
“That I have a passion to do well in school and do something where I can change someone's life or have a job that would make my parent's proud but Jesus Christ also.”

[Note: The student profiles are unedited, uncoached responses to these questions. Also, this mission strives to teach and show students that Jesus is the Lord of our whole life, not just part of it, and make our thoughts, feelings, and actions conformed to Him, so we truly understand reality.]

October School Profile: Chapel Hill High School

website: www.chccs.k12.nc.us/chhslevelone/
Students: 1439
Christian Groups: 1
FYI: last year CHHS was closed to visitors, but has been graciously opened to us this year from conversations Pastor DeWayne Watson has had with the new principal.
Prayer Requests for CHHS: new principal has grace with school board and CHHS board; boldness for Christian students to share faith openly and knowledge to do so; students are shown the truth and receive it; that people understand Christianity is about a relationship with the creator of the universe, not about observing a law.

October Quick Facts

Presented Gospel to: 7 students
Volunteers who Signed Up for the mission: 10
Mission Newsletter recipients: 104
Financial Support Pledged for the Year: $24,730 (69% of goal)
Rap/Dance Battles Witnessed: 2
Questions Students Asked Me:
"Since there are so many types of people did we really all come from Adam and Eve or did God put all kinds of different people in different places?"
"My mom won't let me date a non-Christian because the Bible says don't be yoked with a non-believer but we are only going to kiss and hug. Is it okay to date a non-Christian?"

Prayer Requests for November

+ Worship Event at Hillside develops
+ More leaders are raised up
+ We continue to have life changing interactions with students
+ Strong Christian communities are formed in each school
+ Salvation for the Lost
+ Provision for my family

September Letter from the Missionary

Hey everyone,

Well, the ministry is off and running! We have named the ministry I am doing "Cross Culture on Campus", also known as C3, and I will be its director.

September was very encouraging and fruitful in the local high schools. I visited 7 different schools and made a total of 10 visits, mostly during the lunch hour. This has been wonderful not only in reinforcing my relationships with the youth at Grace Church and their peers, but also in becoming a campus presence to the administration. One of my goals in these schools will always be to show Christ's love through acts of service -- something I've been able to do by helping out math classrooms at Hillside and cleaning up the cafeteria at Jordan. Another one of my main efforts during these visits is to minister to the youth directly. We've met with over one hundred students so far! Happily, with help from a student, we've even been able to start a lively Christian discussion group for believers and unbelievers at Hillside.

In these beginning stages I am still spending a good deal of time in the formative process. I meet often with the pastors at Grace (Pastor DeWayne has been an immense help) and with other high school-related organizations/people.

Presently, I still need to spend a good deal of time fundraising. As our numbers increase, I hope to be able to spend more of my days going into the schools and reaching students.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. I cannot wait to see what October has in store.

For His Glory,
Adam Dawson

September Student Profile: Tyler Thompson

Tyler Thompson, a senior at Hillside High School, and I started a group called "The Real". Every week students gather after school and discuss topics that they don't broach during class -- from Jesus to tattoos. When asked why he helped to start this group Tyler responded, "I've seen the world...I want to reach out to the youth. I want to help save all the people I can."

Tyler has seen his brothers go to jail and been pursued himself by gun-toting gang members. As he felt himself being caught up in that lifestyle, he began looking for something real. Although he grew up in church, it had become routine for him. One day his mother came to him and said, "If nobody can help [you], then a man named Jesus can. Just give him a try."

"He changed me in a big way," Tyler said about Jesus. "I could have been dead...He changed my life by stepping in and giving me chance after chance...When the gang related stuff went down hill, I found the real understanding of Christ."

When asked what he likes about "The Real", Tyler said, "The growth capacity. People are starting to see how real it is."

"Learning about people and perspectives of Christ," he adds. "...learning how they were brought up...the stories of their lives...we feel what they go through."

September School Profile: Hillside High School

Students: 1450
Christian Groups: 2 (The Real and Gospel Choir)
Demographics: 89% African-American
Students who receive Free/Reduced Lunch: 53%
Student:Teacher Ratio is 32:1
Concerns: Apathy, Cheating, Truancy, Low Performance, Perverse Sexuality.
Teacher Prayer Requests: the transforming Spirit of our Lord fill every person at Hillside

September Quick Facts

Total School Days: 19
# of School Visits: 10
Support Raised: $1,500 per month
(43% of Financial goal)
Groups formed: 1

Our Mission Vision

Our Mission Vision is (1) to deliver the gospel to all students, parents, faculty, staff, and administration for all Durham and Orange County schools, and (2) to promote and direct the unification of the Christian people within the above groups for His glory. Our goals for October: partner with other Christian groups like Young Life to further God's Kingdom, engage Christian Communities in 2 more High Schools, and raise 72% of financial goal.

Prayer Requests for October

+ vision from God
+ salvation for lost students
+ discipleship for students
+ partnership with Christians
+ financial support