Fall Retreat

This past weekend we had our annual fall retreat.  We headed out to Lakewood Park Bible Camp in Devils Lake for the weekend with about 70 UND students, a lot of which were freshmen or first timers at the retreat.  It was a wonderful weekend filled with worship, a great speaker who spoke truth from the Word, seminars, community, and even some men's and women's time.

As the weekend progressed it was fun to watch the juniors and seniors love, care for, shepherd and challenge the freshmen.  Countless times during our time there I saw an older student talking one on one with a younger student who had questions about God or were struggling with something God was laying on their heart.  What fun it is to see students that care enough to point their peers to Jesus and what He's done for them.  While it's hard to know exactly how God was at work over the course of the weekend, it is fun to notice the changes already occurring in student's lives as a result of fall retreat!  Praise God for how He worked!

Here are some pictures highlighting the weekend:

Team Fun - Unrolling the twine and rolling it back up!

Team Fun - Passing the balloon between your knees!

Kaci giving her testimony at our first meeting.

The worship band the first night!

Team Fun - wrap the mummy game!

Wrapping the Mummy!

A Double Mummy!

Unwrapping the twine for Team Fun!

Team Fun - Trying to determine the flavor of the baby food.

Team Fun -waiting for directions!

Another method for unraveling the twine.

Team Fun Introductions

Brandon - Our Speaker for the weekend.

All of the Students!

Silly Picture

On our day off after fall retreat, we headed to Nelson's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze near Grand Forks for a day date!  It was a beautiful day to find our way through the 11 acre corn maze designed to celebrate North Dakota's 125 years!

Character Challenge Course

On September 13 we took about 30 students and headed to a Character Challenge Course in Park Rapids, MN.  It was a fun day to meet new students, learn to work together, and take steps of faith to trust others as we learned how that relates to trusting God.  We got to participate in a lot of fun activities from team work, to a leap of faith, to navigating a high ropes course and riding a zip line.  Here are a few highlights from the day!

Barn Dance

Friday night commemorated the first weekend that most college students spent in Grand Forks (since many left for Labor Day the first weekend.)  We decided to kick off the weekend and the year with a barn dance a few miles out of Grand Forks.  Many students joined us and it was a hopping party!  All that came had so much fun.  

Here are a few pictures and videos form the night:

The evening started with some volleyball, can jam, chatting, and meeting new friends.

Slowly, the brave ones began to dance.

Finally, many were dancing (in these pictures to the Cupid Shuffle) and having a bast!

Tuesday - After Cru

On Tuesday after Cru we had all the students divide up by their place of residence.  It was a great way to find out who lives where and helped students to meet others living in the same place as them.  We also wanted to give them information about the small group Bible Studies that will be getting started in each of their dorms.

This year I (Kamaya) get to help lead in Squires Hall.  The Squires women went to Applebee's after Cru for half price appetizers and to get to know each other better.  It was so much fun getting to know all 16 of these women!  

Please pray with me that these women would continue to have a desire to know Jesus and grow in their relationship with Him!

First Week on Campus

Our first week on campus is now over!  WHEW!   While this past week was extremely busy we had a ton of fun meeting new students, giving away free stuff, having our weekly Cru meeting on campus for the first time in a long time, and having a bunch of spiritual conversations with students.  Kamaya and one of our student leaders even got to see a freshman girl put her trust in Christ!  Praise the Lord!

Here is a recap of our week in pictures:

Sunday Night at the Student Organization Fair 

There was always a line of students waiting to spin the wheel for their prize! 

 Thumbs up  for giving away free stuff...and inviting people to Cru!

We gave away coffee cups, cups, t-shirts, draw-string bags, and the lucky winners landed on the one $10 gift card spot. 

Monday's Picnic Lunch at University Park

Tuesday - Our First Cru Meeting

 This year we are blessed to be able to meet on campus in the Education Building.  We are so excited about this change as more students will hopefully be able to join us.

 The Worship Band

Wednesday - Surveys & Cup Giveaway in Squires Dining Center

Filling out a survey to get a free cup and a chance to win a $50 gift card.

Cody & Naomi working the Survey Table.