Keep us from just singing
Move us into action
Oye, it has been awhile! Jury duty took up like an entire week… boo… but anyway…here we are!
Nov. 9-11 has been a national Campus Crusade effort to cross cultures. Epic is committed to crossing cultures, so all of Epic staff have made an extra effort to be learners of other cultures for the sake of the Kingdom! At UCI, we proposed to help launch a Christian movement for Latin Americans. During the three days we (myself, Clara, and 3-5 of Epic’s National Staff team) essentially searched for the Latin Americans at UCI. Honestly, in a sea of Asian-Americans… we had a hard time finding them!
But praise the Lord for some of my former UCI knoweldge! We found out that there are several Latin American professors (Christian and non-Christian!) and department heads who want a Christian movement for Latinos started at UCI!! Also we had the opportunity to talk with some Latino students about Latin American culture and spirituality! It was seriously… so awesome. I learned SO much about Latin American culture and am so excited to hear of a need… and to see it being met!
One student from the Campus Crusade movement at UCI has started a 12-person-strong Bible study for Latin Americans after really sensing a need for that on the UCI campus. She’s a bit overwhelmed by the fact that she has to do a lot on her own–calling, planning, etc. But she has a discipler who wants to help, she’s being coached by Crusade staff, we’re available to her and after hearing about the things we found she said she was very encouraged and excited that she’s NOT alone!
AAH! It was seriously way more exciting than this post maybe makes it seem… but just for myself I know I was going into this week kinda not really sure what we were going to do. I feel very infantile when it comes to understanding Latin American culture. All I know is the VERY limited exposure I’ve had through short-term Mexico missions trips, friends and my nanny growing up. I could see how God was using this week to broaden my heart and love for others. Though I’m “employed” by Campus Crusade to reach the Asian-American community, I am to love my neighbors (Luke 10:25-37) regardless of their culture/faith/background. And God can use culture as an in-road to people knowing Him…
sooo… all this blabbering to say that God really affirmed the need for contextualized (culturally!) ministries and is truly at work within the Latin American community at UCI!!! Keep them in your prayers!!! 
Happy November!!! (And Happy Extra-Hour of Sleep–yay, daylight savings!) Seriously, it has been your encouragement and prayers that have gotten me this far! So, thank you, again.
November marks the beginning of one of the busiest times of year for my family (and extended family). Birthdays and holidays alternate for almost every week from now until just after Christmas! And seriously, I’m excited and am excited that it’s here so soon!!
This season also brings a full month of ministry! Just a quick (and ridiculously brief) breakdown of what’s to come and things you can be praying for…
4th ~ UCI Epic has a Prayer + Praise + Dessert Night! People will pray and praise and also eat massive amounts of sweets and baked goods!
2nd – 6th ~ This is our staff team leaders’* last week on campus as they will take some time off to raise support. They have a baby (boy!!! 
) on the way, so they need to focus time to do this. Please pray for them!! And if you’d like to consider being on their support team or think you’d like to help, please e-mail me (whitney.chen(at)uscm.org) and I’ll fill you in on how you can!!
9th – 11th ~ Cross ‘09 We (staff and students) will be learners of Latin American culture in order to win them to Christ!
20th – 22nd ~ Crossroads ‘09 This is a Campus Crusade conference for college junior and senior students to address them at the crossroads of their lives… **
*
Our Staff Team! Adam and Jaci (2nd and 3rd from right) are our staff team leaders.
**We (as UCI/CSULB Epic) may not go to this conference, but I’ll keep you all posted!
It’s out… it’s crazy… it has PICTURES… and it’s chock-full of stuff God’s doing (as that has been my life so far!).
Sneak preview…
One of the most powerful moments of retreat was when Steve had us look at our own stories and asked us, ‘What does it look like to be won by Christ?’ Students remembered and realized how Jesus meets us in our places of need and quenches our thirst for acceptance, recognition, love–whatever it may be! At least one student decided he wanted that and dedicated his life to Jesus Christ…
Let me know if you’d like a copy of the letter! E-mailed or snail-mailed! I just need you to send your addresses to: whitney.chen (at) uscm.org
Hope you’re all doing well!
Health update: Flu gone! Cough still lingering… but feeling SOOOO much better! Thank the Lord!!!
Sorry I can’t give a longer update!
But there are SO MANY praises from this past week-weekend! Just wanted to let you know that your prayers were/are felt and answered!!! Two prayer requests, though:
1. As some of you know, Benny Fong, a brother in Christ and one of my ministry prayer warriors, passed away suddenly this weekend. 
It came as a shock to his surviving wife, children and grandchildren. Please keep the family in your prayers and send along any encouragement and strength you may have for them.
2. My fellow intern teammate (Clara) and I have somehow contracted the flu! So we’re finding fellowship in fevers, dry coughs, and general blah-ness. So, please be in prayer for my teammate Clara and I.
Before I go back to sleep… here are a couple pictures from the weekend/week!
Leading worship at UCR's 1st meeting
students singing during the talent show at retreat!
Hey everyone!
Last week our team got to do a few different things…
1. DAY OF PRAYER: we spent from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (with an hour lunch break in-between) praying over the various Campus Crusade ministries (i.e. Epic Movement, Destino, JESUS film, etc.) within the Pacific-Southwest region. I knew Campus Crusade was large, but not to THIS extent! I was so touched and encouraged by just everyone’s heart for the people they ministered to and also just for their honest yearning for prayer. Plus it was empowering to be prayed for by so many people who, though they’ve never met me, care so much for what I’m doing and praise God that I’m here!
Another super-awesome thing: I got to meet so many of the Epic Movement Leadership Development team!! People who have prayed for me since I applied, have helped me through the process of getting to where I am now… it was great to finally put faces to names and exchange hugs and laughs over Five Guys burgers in Cerritos… mmmmm Praise the Lord for food and fellowship!!
Five Guys burger... it looks so tasty!
2. PIONEERING DAY @ UC RIVERSIDE! Every month we do what’s called “Pioneering Day” where all the members of our team devote one day to one campus. The goals of our pioneering days vary depending on what we’re trying to accomplish on those campuses. This pioneering day was devoted to helping to bolster the Epic Movement students at UCR. We set out to survey the campus and find student leaders who would be willing to take part in:
A) The Kingdom of God… if they’re not part of it yet
B) The Epic Movement… if they want to reach others for Christ.
It was a really interesting experience! I will definitely share more in my monthly update letter… but in the meantime, I’ll say that Jesus is TOTALLY moving on the UCR campus!
Prayer Requests…
1. Pray for the UCR Epic’s first meeting this Tuesday!
2. Tommy Dyo will be speaking at UCR’s AACF this Wednesday… so pray for that talk as well as a deeper and richer partnership with AACF develops!
3. Pray for support to come in for 3 of our staff members (2 of them are having a baby!!!)! If it doesn’t come in, they may have to come off campus .
4. Pray for our upcoming FALL RETREAT this weekend (Oct. 16-18) in Angelus Oaks, CA! UCI, CSULB, UCR, and USC’s Epic Movements will allll be there! So pray that God is just… at work in the planning, in the preparing of hearts, and in the going and coming back! =)
5. Pray for my health… I’ve been on/off sick recently. It’s probably because of the schedule and lack of sleep. But I need to get back on track! =)
Praise Requests…
1. Praise the Lord for a productive Pioneering Day at UCR!
2. Praise the Lord for the leaders at UCR’s Epic… they’ve been working tirelessly and are so excited to start Epic at UCR! =)
3. Praise the Lord for fruitful and rich partnerships with AACF at CSULB and UCR!
4. Praise the Lord for the leaders at UCI’s Epic who have been starting to really take ownership of the movement!
5. Praise the Lord for what He’s doing at CSULB… those students really want to see their friends know Jesus. SO AWESOME!
… Long Beach!! [pictures to come!] Yes, I’m officially moved in. Praise the Lord!!!
The UCI Epic Movement had their FIRST MEETING of the year!!! Kyle S. shared his testimony about how God used a summer project (summer missions trip) to the Bay Area to show him how God can use anyone… in any situation. Then one of our team leaders, Adam, totally brought us through the Gospel, and a glimpse of Epic’s role in God’s Story. Afterward, we just got a chance to interact with the students. One of them asked me: “How do you like working with Epic so far?” I replied, “I love it.”
Before downing an In-N-Out hamburger, two students who run the weekly UCI Epic meetings shared with me their thoughts on their specific roles within UCI Epic. They both stated something along the lines of a facilitator. And the more I thought about it, the more I liked that definition of their role within UCI Epic… but also how that is a part of what we ought to do in our larger roles as missional Christians. Facilitating involves leaving space and room…while still maintaining direction.
Now I’m totally a coward when it comes to this… because though I feel I could start any conversation about the most random/useless thing… when it comes to my very FAVORITE topic (Jesus) I freeze/choke/steer the conversation elsewhere. One of the reasons… is because I think I need to be in control of the conversation or the situation. I like having the “ball in my court,” so to speak. But when I let go and let God bring to mind questions to ask them… or simply get to know them better… somehow spirituality always comes up. And instead of constantly bringing a conversation around to, “Well, let me tell you who else loves sandwiches… JESUS,” I can provide a space for them to ask me questions and possibly receive answers. Hmm… I like that.
Anywho, I’ll close this crazy, late-night/early-morning post with some pictures of the day!
my office at UCI
we're so happy epic's starting we can't contain ourselves! or at least cindy is!
Last night was the UCI Interfellowship Kickoff! There was singing… testimonies… a speaker… and God was totally moving.
Though I don’t think there was an implicit theme throughout the night, God somehow united the entire event. With each testimony and with what was shared through the speaker, the challenge was obvious: Work out your faith and then share it with everyone on campus.
Daniel, one of our Epic students, shared his testimony and he spoke of how God used fellowship on campus to grow his faith, and also of how now his own personal challenge is to reach his community. His community being the dance club he recently joined, his fellow biology classmates, his dormmates… I could see students nodding their heads in agreement and understanding. Let us pray for action!
They played this song at the kickoff last night… and it’s simply fantastic. Go God!
love you all! Thanks SO much for your support and prayers again!!!
UCI and UCR start school THIS THURSDAY! And this whole week is welcome week. Oye! Not that the weather indicates that at all… it’s still 80 degrees and sunny
newport beach, baby!
This past week we had our Quarter School kickoff at a beach house in Newport Beach, CA. =) We were literally 20 steps away from THE BEACH! I love the O.C. It was awesome waking up and being able to spend time with God amidst His Creation… and right along the shore that separates California from the Pacific Ocean… crazy.
working hard, or hardly working?
The weekend was very productive with student leaders from both UCI and UCR’s Epic movements ready to plan and prepare for this upcoming year.
Tomorrow the students are tabling and welcoming the new freshmen!!! Hooray! Wednesday will be an Interfellowship Kickoff… that I’m really looking forward to. Here are some quick prayer requests/praises:
- That the students tabling would be bold in meeting new people and starting to make relationships.
- That all of us would represent God and His love this week… even in planning meetings. (It can be stressful!)
- That our staff team would get acquainted and take each day as they come… it has been a bit overwhelming!
- That students would respond to God’s call to follow Him at the Interfellowship Kickoff!!!!
- Praise God that I found a place to live!!! It’s in Long Beach! I’ll put up some pictures when I get situated.
- Praise God for willing and able student leaders who want SO much for their school-mates to know Jesus.
Thank you SO much for your prayers! Oh, how I’m feeling them! Please feel free to leave me a comment or send me an e-mail (whitney.chen(at)uscm.org)! I want to hear how you’re doing so I can pray for YOU!
Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!
Great news everyone… I get to start!
I still need a few more ministry partners, but am on my way! =) Thank you SO much for your prayers and financial partnership!! I haven’t found a place to live out in the OC/LB area yet, so please keep praying for that transition!
In the meantime, I’m SO excited… already this upcoming week there’s a Fall Leadership Kickoff for the quarter-system schools! Yay!
Please be in continued prayer for:
- My fellow teammates who have yet to finish raising their support for the year
- The kickoff this week–that it would be a good time of encouraging the student leaders as we begin the school year
- My housing search
- The last few ministry partners I need for this upcoming year!!!
Thank you, again! And if you’d like e-mailed or snail-mailed updates, please let me know ASAP (whitney.chen(at)uscm.org)!
OOH! Also, I put a link on the right-hand side of this site to my good friend, Lyndsey’s, blog! She’s in Japan this upcoming year with the Epic Movement/Campus Crusade and going to be ministering to the students there! =) Please check out her updates and be in prayer for our sister as well!
