September 10, 2010

Can a Choice Change a Life?

Help thousands of university students discover real change

Crowds of students mill around university concourses and outdoor squares exploring hundreds of booths for university clubs, unions and societies. It’s Frosh Week. And amidst the fun and frivolity, students are engaging in conversations about God, faith and life.

Just recently, we told you about Campus for Christ’s new myCravings campaign to connect with students as they return to school and spark conversations about our deepest human cravings. The response to this year’s new initiative has already been overwhelming. Tens of thousands of students have received a Real Life Kit with a New Testament, a Knowing God Personally booklet and Soul Cravings Prequel by Erwin Raphael McManus – and more students than ever have been interested in pursuing conversations about faith in Christ. We’ve already heard some incredible stories from campuses across Canada and we wanted to share them with you today.

Paid vs. Aid – our new contest that offers winners across Canada a choice between $1,000 towards tuition, building clean water wells in Africa, providing shelter in Haiti, or supporting orphans in Tanzania – is asking students the question: can a choice change a life? At the University of Calgary, student volunteers and staff handed out 1,500 Real Life Kits within 6 hours on the first day of university. Fifty per cent of respondents to the Paid vs. Aid contest survey answered “Yes” or “Maybe” to the question, ‘Would you like to find out how to have a personal relationship with God?’

“It’s a bit overwhelming, but definitely a good problem to have hundreds and hundreds of people to call,” says one student volunteer.

The Paid vs. Aid strategy has given Campus for Christ unprecedented opportunities to connect with students at St. Mary’s University and Dalhousie in Halifax, Nova Scotia this year. “Both university student unions absolutely love the contest,” says a Campus for Christ staff member. “In fact, the student unions have taken the initiative to invite us to come to all of the official Frosh Week events to promote the contest and gather contacts. We have never experienced these sorts of open doors from the universities before.”

Designed to challenge students to examine why they make the choices they make, Paid vs. Aid has been sparking conversations across university campuses – conversations that can lead to real change in the lives of students. The dialogue and publicity generated by this contest has extended online as well, as students engage in conversations on Twitter, Facebook and mycravings.ca.

Thank you to those of who have already made this week a reality because of your generous contributions and prayers for Campus for Christ. If you haven’t yet had the chance to make a gift towards Real Life Kits, you can still make an impact in the lives of students across Canada today.

As students connect with others to discuss how they can have an intimate, personal relationship with God, go along for the journey. We need your help to meet the demand. With more interest from students than we’ve ever had, your support is imperative to continue meeting with students and providing great resources. Donate today and provide hope for students as they begin the new school year. It’s a choice that could change a life.

THE IMPACT SO FAR:

• 9,500 students signed up for the Paid vs. Aid contest
• 4,224 students want to receive a free un.Cover magazine by personal delivery to explore their cravings for love, justice, escape and power
• 1,803 requested more info about Christianity
• 10,851 students (81.7%) want to receive updates from Campus for Christ, indicating that students have had very positive experiences at our booths.
• Campus for Christ’s Facebook poll indicates that 40% of students would choose tuition if they won the Paid vs. Aid contest
• The first contest winner at Dalhousie University on Wednesday chose tuition.

Real Life Kits: Connecting Students’ Cravings to Jesus

Four years may seem like a short amount of time, but it’s also long enough to change the direction of someone’s life forever. An estimated one million students attend universities across Canada, and every day they make decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. University students are looking for a place to belong, to meet new people, and are curious and responsive to new ideas. Many of them are experiencing independence for the first time, building life-long relationships and making critical decisions about their future careers.

In just a few weeks, thousands of young people will be stepping onto university campus’ for the first time. Over the course of 4 years, they will be faced with many new worldviews, and their beliefs will be challenged. The vast majority of students who arrive on campus have never been introduced to Jesus.

During the first week of September, Campus for Christ will be distributing thousands of Real Life Kits across Canada. Each kit includes Soul Cravings Prequel by Erwin McManus, a special edition of the New Testament, and a Knowing God Personally booklet that presents the Gospel in a succinct way.

This year we are more excited than ever for our Real Life Kits. We have created exciting new resources to further engage university students. When accepting a Real Life Kit, students are asked to fill out a contact form so one of our campus staff members can meet up with them. Student leaders share a new magazine created by Campus for Christ, which includes captivating stories and the message of Jesus. When one student shares the gospel with another, a chain reaction occurs resulting with hundreds being exposed to the Gospel! That is the math of evangelism at work!

Please partner with us today to make a great impact on young adults all across Canada. You can help change the world by partnering with Campus for Christ and equipping students to distribute Real Life Kits and have life-altering conversations with their peers.

Please send your gifts as soon as possible. We want to make sure that each university receives their kits in a timely manner.