City Lights Extravaganza!

Hello, friends! 

In just about 36 hours, registration is going to close for City Lights, InterVarsity's Urban Spring Break Project.  Over the past 20 years, literally thousands of students have made their way to Saint Louis to learn about God's heart for the poor as well as have their lives changed as they work alongside those who are trying to rebuild the city from the inside out. 

There are so many things to love about City Lights.  I'll try to highlight a few of them.  The thing that I love most is probably how City Lights makes it a point to work alongside those who are living in the city, instead of coming in Superman style and trying to fix things for "helpless citizens."  The folk who lead our worksites have lived in the city for years and can tell stories about what it's been like living in the area and seeing God move through different circumstances.  It feels much more like a partnership than it does a simple service project. 

Another thing that I love about City Lights is that it actually changes students and campuses.  I'll give 2 examples.  A few years ago, a group of students from Lindenwood University attended their first City Lights.  Their response to what they did and learned there was to organize a week on campus devoted to human trafficking awareness.  Last Summer, a Mizzou student decided that he was so inspired by what City Lights did that he designed his own summer City Lights project for students living in Columbia over the summer.  That, my friends, is how lives get changed. 

One last thing that I want to mention about City Lights is that City Lights deepens relationships.  Students are bonded to those who work in the city.  Students are bonded to one another (including a few marriages!).  Staff and students are bonded as they do service with one another.  It is a week that is just as much about relationships as it is about getting work done. 

Friends, right now we have 13 students who are going to be attending City Lights from Mizzou and 6 more from Columbia College, many of them for the first time!  We are super excited for each of them and have been praying that God will be preparing their hearts for what He has in store for them. 

Here are two ways that you can help:
- Please PRAY for our students as they prepare for City Lights.  Usually, the weeks leading up to City Lights are filled with all sorts of spiritual attacks.  Please pray for good protection, as well as for the staff. 
- You can also GIVE if you'd like to our scholarship fund.  We believe that money is a terrible reason for students to not be able to do something, so we make sure that we have scholarships available for students who may not otherwise be able to attend City Lights.  If you'd like to give, you can click the link here. 

Have an excellent day! 

~Adam