Important Update, Prayers needed

Dear Friends and Family,
A situation in the mission has been bubbling for a couple weeks, and I now would like to ask you all for strong prayers. I mentioned in my newsletter that I have 2 disciples (students I'm leading in one on one mentorship). One of them, Kevin, has been struggling with this commitment. He is a very busy psychology student, but is also somewhat of an unlikely leader within the community. He began discipleship last year, being asked into it and led by one of our student leaders who left for seminary this fall. Thus I "inherited" him, as we say in FOCUSspeak. Sometimes these inherited discipleships go well, but usually they are quite difficult because the relationship, which our ministry depends on, changes for the one being discipled. Kevin is a sophomore, and I have had a difficult time establishing a relationship with him. Part is my own imperfections, for which I implore your prayers and God's Providence. But also, it is simply hard to call leadership out of a person if they are naturally a bit disinclined.

Kevin has had a hard time with tougher class load this year, and has not been able to be present at many of the greater community's events. He also did not respond to many of my challenges to him to step up in leadership of the younger guys. He officially excused himself from discipleship a week ago. Rather than simply let him slide, I have been challenged to invest in him all the more, even though he is out of discipleship. This is a great opportunity for me to love--to learn to love. Kevin remains in Bible study, so he is still a student in our program, for whom we are here serving. I ask that you all pray God gives me the gift of courage and charity to reach out to Kevin in creative ways, considering his time constraints.

Also, pray for the fulfillment of spiritual multiplication in our entire ministry, as we seek new students to step into leadership from our Bible studies.

Thank you all so much for your support and prayers, for you fidelity to God in your own particular vocations of husband, wife, priest, father, mother, businessman and woman, musician, doctor, engineer, contractor, and lawyer. God bless!