Original letter written on June 4, 2008----------------------------------
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Our team with Campus for Christ has finished our journey in Montreal and are heading off tonight for Paris for the remaining 2.5 weeks of the project! We are about to make a huge language transition from Quebecois to Parisian French...should be interesting and hilarious to say the least!
We have so much to be thankful for and have seen God move in huge ways here. Just to quickly put it in perspective, this missions project is the first of its kind like this with Campus for Christ. The work the Lord has done in preparing this terrain of open hearts in Montreal has been years in the making, it is invisible prayer work and work of former missionaries, but also work from your prayers for my team, this city, this project and me. Thank you! Success is relative in ministry as counting numbers does not do justice to the hidden spiritual victories that you all through your intercession prayers have helped my team and I through, but to give you a bit of perspective on what we can measure of what God has done I will give you a tangible example. This past year, throughout the entire province of Quebec the ministry of Campus for Christ has seen 23 people give their lives to Jesus. Our team director worked here in Montreal on University campuses for 3 years before he saw one person give their life to Christ (and that was this September).
Amazingly, our team, through the ministries we have been involved in here in Montreal for the past 3.5 weeks have witnessed 10 people give their lives to Christ. Personally, I got to lead 4 of those people to the Lord, something I had never done myself before, let alone doing it in French, our team on the University de Montreal shared the gospel one on one about 40 times, almost all to students who had never heard why Jesus came to earth nor the full gospel. The only thing most students we spoke with know of Jesus is that he was someone good who told people to love one another, period, end of thought.
There is something happening here in Quebec, and its not a coincidence that its the 400th anniversary of Quebec city and there are more missions teams coming to Quebec this summer than ever before. So, as we leave Quebec, please continue to pray with us for revival there as hearts seem to be so ready and open and there is most certainly an openness to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Consider this as you pray; in Quebec, in its current spiritual state, it is completely possible to be born there, live your entire life, and then die without ever hearing the gospel, the hope of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I can image this scenario easily in certain places in this world that are closed to the gospel as it is illegal, but in Canada...wow.
What is also very humbling for me is that God could have used anyone on this trip, He didn't need me specifically, nor my words, nor my love for the language, but the fact that He chose to use me reminds me of how merciful He is. I have learned so much. I am also reminded that without your support and prayers, my effectiveness, growth, experiences and vision would be unachievable -- thank you! My heart for Quebec and the people here has grown immeasurably and I hope yours has too.
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Analogy
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Along with the picture of our team I have included a photo of the cross that overlooks the city of Montreal. I offer you this reflection/illustration for where our team has been and where we will go:
Montreal: the people of that city are searching for spiritual answers and hope, yet what they need, the message of the cross and the answer to their question is before them daily. Let us pray they will look up and search for the truth of the cross.Paris: its inhabitants live in spiritual darkness...how contradictory that it be called the City of Lights, but how we pray that that title would someday refer to Christian believers.
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Encouraging Verse
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It is here I will leave this update, but with a verse that touched me this week as I was reminded of just how small I am in this midst of this battlefield in Quebec and next in France, but that Jesus delights in me, has a plan for me and fights for me anyhow, as well as all of you--> Only He can change hearts, only He goes before us, only He brings the victory. Praise God for that!
2 Chronicles 20:15 (I encourage you to read verses 1-29 to see the full picture of this battle and the victory the Lord brought in what looked like an impossible win for the Israelites)
"Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."
Grace & Peace in Him,
Jonathan Brower
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