Thanks to Virginia Baptists
I just wanted to write a brief note from here on the island of Manhattan to thank the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and all Virginia Baptists for their support of collegiate ministry in the Northeast and in the Ivy League.
I have been working with students in the New York City area for 12 years, and it has always been challenging, not only to communicate who Baptists are to the community here, but also challenging to express what university life in this context is like to churches and other Baptist groups in other areas.
Virginia Baptists and the Mission Board's emerging leaders team in particular have really shared their hearts and shared our vision by sponsoring the work at Columbia University and Barnard College. You, Virginia Baptists, have also helped tremendously through generous giving, as we sought in the past four years to minister to those devastated by the cruel attacks on the World Trade Center-literally our back yard.
Virginia Baptists have been responsible for:
• Direct help to 911 survivor students.
• Post-trauma training for student workers.
• English conversation groups for international students, scholars and spouses.
• Website development for the BSU.
• Weekly worship on campus for students.
• Leadership development among upper classmen/women.
• Mentoring for students and young adult volunteers.
• Support (transportation, living expenses, etc.) for enthusiastic volunteers who are native to New York City.
• Participation in a “Veritas” conference that drew 500 to 700 students each night.
Without your help, through the conduit of Impact Northeast and other gifts, we would not have been able to have the visibility and integrity on Columbia's campus that we now enjoy. And even more importantly, we would not have had the life impact on the individual students that we were challenged to love God better through their participation in these events.
Thank you, Virginia Baptists!
Susan Field, BSU Director, Columbia and NYU