Boats serve as taxis on Birmingham's waterways, providing transportation for some of the more than 2 million residents who call England's second-largest city their home.

An immigrant from Iran makes a surprising discovery after moving to England. Mariam slammed the book shut and begged Allah for forgiveness. This Bible from her husband was strangely enticing. Just what had he involved himself in since moving to England? And when would she be allowed to leave Iran and join him in Birmingham?

Eighteen months later Mariam was reunited with her husband. The couple attended a three-day conference for Iranians in Birmingham, sponsored by Agape, as Campus Crusade for Christ is called in England. Mariam (not her real name) watched with surprise as people sang and prayed to God in her own language. But she remained frozen.

"It's just emotional hype," she said. "I must go and search the Quran, to see what it says about all this."

"Iranians are a rapidly growing community in England," says Phil Jackman, a British Campus Crusade staff member. "What is striking about the Iranians is their exceptional openness to the gospel."

One night after the conference, Mariam dreamed of a black holy woman who hugged her and said, "Don't be afraid."

With eyes red from crying, Mariam spoke to an Iranian believer that day: "I know that Jesus is true! Please tell me about Jesus!"

For the next six hours she talked with the Iranian friend. Through tears she committed her life to Jesus. Today, Mariam joins 100 other Iranian believers who meet weekly in Birmingham.
—reported by Phil Jackman

The Passion of the Christ draws crowds to theaters around the world, just as it drew students to a special on-campus showing in Florida (above).

On almost every continent, in some countries where Christian films have never been allowed in public theaters, viewers flocked this past spring and early summer to see Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. The movie has created opportunities that never existed. And Campus Crusade for Christ staff members have seized those chances to tell people the whole story of Christ.

In Russia, Campus Crusade staff members raised $5,000 through an international e-mail campaign to buy tickets for 1,500 students so they could see the film for free. In Moscow, Anya Ivanova came home after the film and got down on her knees and prayed, "Jesus, I know You are not in my life but I want You to be. I'm sorry I've ignored You for so long." She then asked Berta Kiroa, a Guatemalan Christian studying with her at The People's Friendship University, to help her study the Bible.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, staff members rented out the largest cinema screen in the Southern Hemisphere, filling the theater with 500 people. They placed a packet of contemporary evangelistic materials on each seat, and explained the gospel at the close of the movie.

Campus Crusade staff member Fred van der Linde helped organize the event, and he was amazed when his sister Charmaine, a non-Christian, came to the film. "Even the day before, she said she wasn't coming," says Fred.

The moviegoers filled out comment cards, and afterward, Fred reviewed their written responses. "I dipped my hand into all the cards," he recalls, "like a lucky bucket, and the first card that I touched was my sister's card." Charmaine had invited Christ into her life.

"She is sharing her faith at work now," says Fred. "And she's taking other people to go see The Passion."

In Lebanon, a much more difficult country in which to talk about Christ, Campus Crusade staff members rented three theaters for six private showings of the movie, allowing them to follow it with a short message and an invitation to receive Christ. Then God provided the finances needed for an extra four shows in the following five days. Each showing was packed. In one theater of 310 people, viewers were asked to raise their hands if they wanted to receive Christ, and 100 hands went up.

"I didn't cry while watching the movie," said one student from Tunisia. "But I did cry while listening to the message afterwards. I think my life has changed."

The Passion has also been shown in Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. "It is the first time these Arab countries are having public showings of a film about crucifixion," reported a Lebanese staff member.

Staff members also created a number of Web sites directly related to the film. "The two main evangelistic follow-up sites are thelife.com and PassionofChrist.com," says Keith Seabourn, Chief Technology Officer for Campus Crusade. "These two sites recorded 2,811 indicated decisions for Christ from more than 835,000 site visitors. More than 5,000 e-mails were received, and teams are responding to every person."

"After seeing this film, people around the world are deeply sensing the sacrifice Christ made on their behalf, and they want to hear more," says Steve Douglass, president of Campus Crusade. "Across the globe, our staff members and volunteers are finding that this provides rich opportunities to share the rest of the message of the gospel."
—Becky Hill

Every hour, 360 children die of starvation. For the past two years, the University of Oklahoma Campus Crusade group has mobilized the university community to help tackle starvation in Africa.

Through "The Sower Project," named for a statue on campus, students raised $28,000. A 12 to 1 matching grant multiplied the donations into $360,000.

"The money is great," says Mike Beckham, a Campus Crusade intern at OU, "but the message we were trying to communicate is even greater." That message: The world is bigger than Oklahoma. And God provides material and spiritual resources to give to the world.

"Before The Sower Project I had no idea that people were dying," says sophomore Daisy Gutierrez.

Aside from raising money and changing perceptions about the world, the project has created opportunities to talk with others about Christ. Now, OU students recognize Campus Crusade as the sponsor of The Sower Project.

"It creates opportunity for new friendships," says Shawn McGrath, director of Campus Crusade at OU "and ultimately opportunity for the gospel."
—Chris Sneller

José Luis Lopez thought he had failed at everything. His business partner had stolen their $2.5 million business, and his marriage was falling apart. He had become a Christian just six months before, but he had lost hope in God.

"I would cry," José remembers, "and I was very depressed and confused about why the Lord would take all these things away. But now I see that He did it to change me."

A friend convinced José to attend a Maximizers business seminar, conducted by Layo Leiva, director of Campus Crusade in El Salvador.

"When I met José," remembers Layo, "he was a destroyed person. He wouldn't even look at anyone in the eyes."

Layo taught about solving problems, living by convictions and being a person of character. "It's basically the Book of Proverbs put in a professional type of language," says Layo.

José listened attentively throughout the seminar and attended four follow-up sessions. And his life began to change.

"I was feeling like a victim," says José, "but I saw that I needed to take control of my life. Now I want to work for the Lord."
—Becky Hill