As I processed a scholarship application for Urbana 12 this week, I knew that I had to share what one student wrote in response to the question, “Why do you want to attend Urbana?”.
When I was younger, a missionary came to my church and spoke about helping others in the mission field. I remember thinking at that time how amazing it would be to travel around the world and help others the way Jesus did, by loving and healing them. Over time, that passion I had for a future in missionary work diminished; I was caught up in the world and why it didn’t seem possible because of my family, my lack of money, and because of doubt in my relationship with God.
Since coming to college and participating in a true Christian community, I have witnessed my life continuously being transformed through my ever-strengthening relationship with God. In the past several months God has begun to ignite the flame that I first had when I heard about missions as a teenager, making me realize that with God, everything is possible!
Finding NCF has been an answer to my prayers. I have been asking God for quite some time to show me where he wants me to go and what he wants me to do short-term (in college) and long-term. God has put a passion for nursing in my heart for a reason and I think this is it: He wants me to spread His love and His word to the world, while practicing what I love. Urbana will give me the perfect opportunity to begin to understand and continue to grow in my passion for missionary work as well as learn about opportunities to serve God’s Kingdom on earth.
Wow! This gives me goose bumps! These kinds of stories reinforce why I love ministry with nursing students.
Please continue to pray that the students God wants to be at the conference will obtain the funds and resources they need to attend. Pray also for the speakers as they prepare their talks, for the worship leaders who set the tone, and for the InterVarsity staff who are diligently working on all of the behind-the-scenes tasks to pull off an event of this magnitude.
NCF scholarships are available to help with Urbana 12 registration costs. Email Bonnie for more information.
--from Bonnie Hann, NCF staff
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