RUF International at UT Knoxville - Fall 2017

RUFI Welcome Party:

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International Festival at UT:

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Fall Retreat to Camp Vesper Point:

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Different Faces of Hospitality
"My friend - I don't have the words to thank you. When someone comes to another country, the most that you can hope for is to find someone you can trust. But to find someone that you can trust, who is also willing to help you, this is more than I ever expected. You did something for me that I cannot imagine someone would do for me here. Thank you!"

I first met my "M" from Iraq 2.5 years ago and heard the harrowing details of his life journey that eventually led him to the U.S. I'm so grateful to have been able to journey alongside him through many more trials after his arrival at UT, including supporting him last month as he successfully defended his Masters thesis in Civil Engineering. And just this week, I was able to go with "M" to U.S. Senator Bob Corker's office and secure an advocate for him, as he's facing serious visa challenges (due to his lawyer's negligence) that could rob him of a chance to pursue his PhD here.

As Christians who remember the costly love of God in Christ to us when we were foreigners, we have the opportunity to reflect that same love to those from around the world at UT, including many who are still strangers to the living God. That might look like introducing a student to the beauty of the Smoky Mountains, or helping them learn English, or taking them to the local farmer's market, or giving a bed to a student contemplating suicide, or just seeking to be a faithful friend however you can.   

RUF International Dinner & Discovery 
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Different Avenues of Exploring Truth

International Dinner & Discovery continues to be an event where students and scholars from around the world are warmly welcomed, fed well, and sensitively engaged with the Gospel of grace. So far this semester, friends from more than 25 nations have gathered together on Thursday nights on campus to eat and explore the question: "Is There a Global God You Can Trust?"

The Lord has been good to also give us many personal conversations that flow from genuinely caring and building trust with international students. My friend "N" from India recently said this to me after chatting awhile in the UT library: "Do you see my face? Do you see the big smile I'm wearing? It's because we have been able to talk about the kinds of things we've been talking about… I love this, and I'm not able to talk about this with anyone else in my life."

Remember & Celebrating
▪ Praise for a great August Welcome Party, September Fall Retreat (with UTC, UGA, Ga Tech & Clemson), and a fantastic October Party at the Farm with 135 strong!
▪ Praise for our 2 new RUFI interns this fall! Drew has been a great blessing since late August, and Jenny has now been able to jump in halfway. But please pray for the rest of her support to come in so she can join Drew & I full-time on campus.
▪ Pray for many we're in relationship with who are wrestling with the claims of Christ and with what it would mean to trust and follow Him.
▪ Praise for the chance to support international students in their anxiety, stress, shame, addictions and hopelessness.
▪ Pray that our upcoming holiday events would be used to spread gratitude, joy, and faith among the nations at UT.
▪ Praise for a great August Welcome Party, September Fall Retreat (with UTC, UGA, Ga Tech & Clemson), and a fantastic October Party at the Farm with 135 strong!
▪ for our 2 new RUFI interns this fall! Drew has been a great blessing since late August, and Jenny has now been able to jump in halfway. But please pray for the rest of her support to come in so she can join Drew & I full-time on campus.
▪ Pray for many we're in relationship with who are wrestling with the claims of Christ and with what it would mean to trust and follow Him.
▪ Praise for the chance to support international students in their anxiety, stress, shame, addictions and hopelessness. 
▪ Pray that our upcoming holiday events would be used to spread gratitude, joy, and faith among the nations at UT.
The Leadbetters - Lee, Annie, Phillip, Neissa, Daniel and Jen

CONTRIBUTING to RUFI at UT:   Thank YOU to so many of you who minister to us through your faithful prayers and financial support. We are truly dependent on them! It's because of YOU that we are able to invest our lives in the lives of tomorrow's world leaders.