Like the river of ice flowing into Glacier Bay, Alaska, God's work at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks moves steadily across the campus. Though slow by some standards, it's inexorably changing lives in its path.

Alaska's beauty could no longer keep Julie Chang. The native, and student at the University of Alaska- Fairbanks, wanted out. Short days, drug and alcohol abuse, and the high suicide rate on campus saddened her.

So when an opportunity to participate in a student exchange at the University of Oregon came along, the young believer in Christ jumped at it. Campus Crusade for Christ staff members there quickly identified her as a leader and began praying that when Julie returned to Alaska, where there was no Campus Crusade movement, she would spearhead a ministry.

But Julie was praying about staying in Oregon, where she enjoyed the Christian fellowship—something she missed in Alaska. During a spring-break outreach in Las Vegas, however, she told God she would return to Alaska if He wished. Within minutes she met a Campus Crusade staff member with Student LINC wearing an Alaska-Fairbanks sweatshirt. After she introduced herself, he said, "We've been praying for you."

So Julie returned to Alaska, where she now leads the Campus Crusade movement through Student LINC. "The campus is slowly changing," Julie says. "More Christian students are reaching out to others."

Student LINC works through students like Julie, establishing outreaches on college campuses without full-time staff members. They train students, vicariously reaching more than 1,000 campuses. Gilbert Kingsley, who directs Student LINC, says, "Every student on every campus is now within our sights." —Howard Hardegree

Though Switzerland played a lead role in the Reformation, today it has become a mission field, according to Urs Wolf, Swiss Campus Crusade staff member.

In 1291, three European states, surrounded by aggressors, swore allegiance to each other. "We will be a one and only nation of brothers," they pledged. Thus, Switzerland was born. Swiss troops fought their last war 500 years ago, but the people remain a "nation of brothers," fixing their social, physical and spiritual lives in relationships.

Today, Urs Wolf, who directs the college ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ in Switzerland, finds that relationships and trust are still the keys to connecting with the Swiss.

"The typical incoming Swiss freshman sees God as irrelevant, views Christianity with suspicion and thinks Christians plot ways to take the fun out of life," says Urs. Fifteen years of serving Swiss college students has taught him that they value friends above all, distrust those outside their close circle and flee from any hint of the gospel presented beyond the bounds of relationship.

Urs understands their biases. He once held them himself, until he noticed that some of his trusted friends possessed a unique radiance and confidence. "My friends explained that the difference was a relationship with God," says Urs. His skepticism overcome, Urs began a relationship with Christ.

Without a similar platform for developing relationship and trust, Urs doubts he could reach the students of Zurich, Switzerland. Enter Steve Douglass, president designate for Campus Crusade, and his book How to Get Better Grades and Have More Fun. Using this as a foundation, Urs produced the Effective Study Seminar, offering a salve for the two primary fearful questions of incoming college students: "Will I make friends?" and "Will I make the grades?" Now Urs uses the eight-hour seminar to reach the campuses of Switzerland with God's love.

Psychology major Bernard Erne came to the Effective Study Seminar like most Swiss college freshmen—without Christ. And like virtually all of the students, he did not know a single Christian. Bernard came because he feared failure; he wanted fellowship, but not a Christian message.

He found a group he could trust, with people who cared enough to offer something he needed. Much of the seminar teaches the need for health in all facets of life—physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. By the time Bernard and Urs worked through each of those, he respected and trusted Urs enough to listen to his five-minute testimony of God's grace in his own life.

That testimony comprised the evangelistic portion of the seminar. Urs had discovered that further spiritual content could trip the delicate trigger of the culture and send Bernard and other students into flight. But because the seminar helped build a relationship with Urs, Bernard and the others returned evaluations divulging their thoughts and feelings about the conference, their future plans, and even God.

Two weeks later, Urs and his team invited all of the participants to a raclette and music evening. Raclette is a Swiss dish featuring, of course, cheese. At this gathering, the group is exposed to the student ministry in full.

"Without this strategy, we would have to close the ministry in Zurich," Urs says. Last fall the program gathered 348 participants—big numbers for a Swiss outreach. But the numbers stretch beyond Switzerland's borders. Ministries in other cultures and on other continents are also beginning to use the Effective Study Seminar to reach out to today's students and lead them in small steps to God.

Today, Bernard is actively growing in his new faith, attends two Bible-study groups, and helps Urs organize events. He also joined a mission trip last summer. But it all began with a study seminar. —Howard Hardegree

Bekele and Shewaye Shanko lead 283 full-time Campus Crusade staff members, and 244 associate staff members and employees, in the Southern and Eastern Africa area. More than 96 million people in 20 countries in this area have heard the gospel in the last 50 years.

"This is war."

The battle between good and evil, God and Satan, predates time. But 27 years ago, that battle touched the life of Bekele Shanko, a 5-year-old boy in Ethiopia.

The boy's father, Shanko Mamiru, had formed alliances with the powerful spiritists in his rural village. When Shanko failed to live up to his bargains, the spiritists would come to his house in anger, saying things like, "Because you did not drink alcohol today, we will kill one of your children."

After seven children (by two wives) had died, Shanko tried to stop the killing by dedicating Bekele to Satan's service. Part of the deal included forcing the boy to drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. Bekele, in essence, became a prisoner of war.

"We were living in spiritual darkness," says Bekele today. "We were oppressed, without hope, without peace. My father would beat my mom every day. And our home was a home of hopelessness, darkness and gloom."

Then one evening hope arrived.

Two men from the village, recent converts to Christianity, came to Bekele's house. "Last week we found a great hope," they told the family, "and that hope is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He is powerful to release that darkness."

"Their preaching was powerful," Bekele remembers. "By God's grace, my father and the entire family made a commitment to Jesus Christ." That night, God set Bekele free.

The day after his conversion, Shanko was walking along the road in his village when he saw a red book on the ground. The two men who had talked to them about Jesus the night before had carried a book just like it, so Shanko, who is completely illiterate, thought it must be a Bible. He decided to test God.

"If You are powerful," he prayed, "open my eyes, I want to read Your Word." Immediately, he could read. That night, Shanko invited the entire village to their house. Nearly 400 came. "You know my history," he told them. "Tonight I have a new message for you." He opened to 1 John 5:11-13. He preached like a powerful warrior and that night the entire village began to follow Jesus Christ.

By the time he was 12, Bekele had become a great spiritual soldier, filled with the Holy Spirit and preaching to large congregations. In 1987 he graduated from college in Ethiopia and worked for the government doing research. Five years later he received a scholarship to attend Emory University in Atlanta. Engaged at that time, he wanted to raise his family in the United States so that he could become what he termed an "African American."

But God had other battle plans. After four weeks at Emory, Bekele heard the quiet, persistent voice of His commander: My child, I have a different plan for your life. I want to use you. I want to send you back to your country.

Bekele's answer? "Lord, no way." Another battle ensued, this time between Bekele's will and God's. God won.

Back in Ethiopia, Bekele joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, and several months later became national director of the ministry.

Thirty-five years ago, there were less than 200,000 Christians in Ethiopia. Now, 7 million born again Christians live in Ethiopia, a country boasting a population of 60 million in 435,000 square miles—nearly twice the size of Texas.

Two years ago, Bekele's team initiated "Operation Phillip." They separated the capital city of Addis Ababa into zones. Their battle plan was to evangelize the 3.1 million people in that city in 52 days. They wanted to train 10,000 believers to use 25 different strategies using 113 churches. They wanted every person to hear.

Bekele was called " young and unrealistic." But in 52 days, they had reached the entire city with the gospel and saw 49,000 come to Jesus.

Now living in Zimbabwe and directing the ministry in Southern and Eastern Africa, Bekele and his team have concocted another "crazy" plan. "Operation Sunrise" will saturate 50 major cities in the region. That's 50 million people in 50 days. They will start the same day in all 50 cities using 40 strategies and training 150,000 believers.

"Why am I alive today?" Bekele questions. He points to Acts 13:36, "When David had served God's purpose in his generation, he fell asleep." Then he turns and declares intensely, "This is my generation, and God wants me to serve His purpose."

Satan once had a purpose for Bekele's life, but God's plan has overruled it. And as a result, millions of Africans will have the chance to choose Jesus Christ as their commander. —Stephanie Reeves

Two years ago, religious zealots in India burned to death a Christian missionary and his two young sons. Then last year a cyclone tore through that same region, killing many. After the catastrophe, several people repented of murdering Christians and asked for the JESUS film, based on the Gospel of Luke, to be shown in their language.

A little boy in America and his brothers heard about the natural disaster and wanted to help. The boy wrote, "My name is Zachary Olson. I am 8 years old. My dad read us [a] letter about the cyclone that hit India. My brother Tanner who's 6 and Caleb who's 4 and I took some money out of our banks to help you show the JESUS film. We want to take more people to heaven with us. Thanks for all your hard work. Love, Zach."

Zach, Tanner, Caleb and other ministry partners gave so that people of India could hear about Jesus. So far, more than 200 teams have traveled throughout the country and shown the film, even to those responsible for the death of believers. —Jennifer Abegg


Campus Ministry
Venezuela

Deivi Bracho knew what he wanted. He just didn't know how to get it. Like many of his peers studying at the University of Zulia, Deivi wanted the good life. But it was elusive.

"I lived an empty life," says the 19-year-old Venezuelan. "I knew I needed something, but I thought it was money and belongings."

Then one summer day in 1999, a small group of Americans showed up on campus and invited him to Vida Estudiantil—Campus Crusade's meeting.

Upon seeing the love and unity among the students, Deivi knew they possessed what he desired—a life-transforming relationship with God. Shortly after, he accepted Christ and began meeting with Brent O'Neill, a Campus Crusade short-term missionary.

"His hunger for God's truth refreshed my own faith," says Brent. "He read the Transferable Concepts over and over, and loved to quote them to me," he continues. "It was like candy to him."

Deivi found what he was looking for. Now he's telling others about it. "We want students to understand [they can] live in communion with God," says Deivi. "That's where the real meaning of life is found." —Rebecca Valentine


Friends of India
Kenya

Vijay and his sister, Deepa, first heard about Jesus from an African friend in Nakuru, Kenya. The brother and sister from India soon began spending time with other believers, including Campus Crusade staff members John and Cathy Douglass. In 1998, Vijay and Deepa turned from Jainism—a branch of Hinduism—to give their lives to Christ.

The siblings are two of many whom the Douglasses are influencing through Friends of India—a Kenyan ministry of Campus Crusade.

By participating in the Love Your Asian Neighbor program, African believers learn how to tell Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims in their communities about Christ through friendships, and tools like the JESUS video.

The work is hard and slow, but the Douglasses are encouraged by young believers like Vijay and Deepa who are already learning to share their faith.

"Vijay is ready to sign up for an evangelism-training course," says Cathy. "[And] Deepa proclaims her faith in Jesus through Indian-style dances to Christian music in outreach programs." —Rebecca Valentine