Dennis Barnett
Associate Campus Minister
International Student Outreach
heydennis@csf.net

Mary Ann Barnett
Ministry Volunteer
International Student Outreach
heymaryann@csf.net

Visit this website to get the latest reports, news, and prayer requests about our ministry with Christian Student Fellowship. Thanks for your prayers and financial support.

For complete information about our ministry,
go to the CSF Partner Support Website.

July Prayer Requests

• Pray for us as we get our new Fall outreach programs prepared with key churches, and volunteers committed before September.

• Pray for our monthly ‘Piano Family Outreach’ programs.

• Praise the Lord for new volunteers (Jerry and Marilyn Hagaman).

• Pray for Frank (Chinese grad.) to surrender to Christ.

• Pray for Y. post-doc student and piano parent to truly desire the Lord.

• Pray for Naw (Myanmar) as he works 50 hrs. a week and attends summer school. He’d like to study the bible with Dennis.

July Update - Deep Impressions, Good Memories

Last month, we took fourteen international students for a tour of St. Paul. There were three Chinese families (one with grandparents), one Indian family, and one Honduran student. We visited a fascinating anatomy museum that Prof. Vic Cox operates for the University. We then traveled to the Cathedral of St. Paul where we watched a wedding take place and answered questions about the Catholic faith. We took many pictures, then walked a few blocks in hot, humid weather to the State Capitol.

We had a lot of fun getting to know Mary Ann’s piano students and their families better, as well as the student from Honduras. The tour provided a relaxed atmosphere for lots of conversation. Frank (standing to Mary Ann’s right in the photo) came with his wife and son who both recently arrived from China. Frank has had a lot of exposure to Christians. Pray for this family as they settle into life in American.

A new Hindu post-doc student from India came with his wife and son (middle of photo). Their family really enjoyed the outing and may attend our 4th of July picnic!

Another stop on our tour was a ‘Confusion Cottage’ built by our friend Julie’s father. Each student was puzzled by water seemingly running uphill. The cottage produced a lot of curiosity, discussion, and testing by the students.

On the far right of the photo, next to Julie, is X. from China. She really enjoyed the day with us and is looking forward to our next event. Although it was extremely humid, we had a memorable time.

A returning Chinese scholar recently wrote to us: “Hi Dennis, Thank you very much for your care and help. I have gone back my hometown a few days before. I am very pity having no more opportunities to enjoy your activities. You are very kind, giving me a deep impression and good memory during my staying in USA. Thanks again.”

May God use simple kindnesses, enjoyable activities, and good memories to draw these precious students and their families into a relationship with Him!
Thanks for your prayers and support!

Barnett Support Summary

January 1 - June 1, 2006
Needed: $ 15,750
Received: $16,305

100%

June Prayer Requests

• Praise for our safe travels in May, our student contacts, and the ACMI Conference.
• Praise God for the faithful prayers and support of his people!
• Praise God for pastors and church members who want to help us reach more students!
• Pray for guidance as we reach more international students for Christ.
• Praise for Alick’s (Zambia) internship at Rockwell in Cedar Rapids, IA where he’ll have Christian fellowship and teaching!
• Pray as we plan a “Go West” trip in August as well as a VBS outreach to international children and their parents.

June Update - Renewing Relationships

The month of May was spent traveling throughout Europe for three weeks and attending a ministry conference in Boston. The Lord enabled us to connect with many internationals on our journey:

• While traveling we befriended two people from Belarus. They plan to help us connect with a Belarus student they know at the U of M.

• A Maltese former exchange student to the U.S. shared her need to know Jesus.

• Nik and Lizzy shared their two-bedroom flat in Albania with us for five days. Mary Ann was invited to play the keyboard at their church for the 1st service. The former Communist leaders’ residence is now called “The Lincoln Center” which houses their church and ESL school where Lizzy teaches. Nik works for the Fed Bank. This country needs a lot of prayer.

• We were encouraged by an English couple from Southampton, England.

• God sent a Chinese couple in the Czech Republic to assist us in using the telephone.

• We met with B. a former U of M, PhD student from Turkey, and N. his new bride in Boston. After walking on the Atlantic coast, and sharing a meal together we had some great faith talks. They had a lot of questions about the meaning of life, world peace and how to achieve it. We were able to introduce them to Christians who’re interested in developing a relationship with them.

• Wiam, an Arab Christian student from Haifa, Israel, gave us a personal tour of Prague Castle and Wenceslas Square during a day of thunderstorms and heavy rain. Prior to meeting Wiam, Mary Ann breathed a quick prayer for an experienced tour guide. As we talked we discovered that Wiam’s father teaches at the same university where the first Russian professor we befriended 12 yrs. ago does. No coincidence!

• Their first night at the International Baptist Theological Seminary hostel (formerly Hitler’s residence) we met Luke from the Ivory Coast. Upon graduation he’ll be working with a dear friend from San Diego, Lyn, a linguist.

May Prayer Requests

• Weekly summer program would meet the needs of our students.
• Weekly dinner connection with students in our home: His guidance in our conversations.
• Dennis desires to meet with N, & YJ, this summer to begin an explorative bible study.
• Alick needs Christian friends/fellowship as he transitions to Mankato State.
• Jackie also from Zambia needs direction in her life as she returns home to renew her visa.
• Praise for a great semester. Pray for a fruitful and safe time as we travel abroad visiting students.

May Update - Sharing Jesus and Our Lives

Di (Chinese) who’s getting a MBA in Human Resources at Carlson School of Management read many stories in the Bible before coming to the USA. She’d heard how our country was founded on Christian principles so she thought she’d better read a Bible. We took her to see “Narnia’ on DVD with other Chinese students. She had some interesting faith questions afterwards. She didn’t want to enter into a group discussion but just wanted to hear our thoughts.

Isn’t it great how God has prepared her heart? Join us in praying for her salvation. We’re praying she can get an internship this summer in the Twin Cities, as well as a driver’s license so she could come to our weekly meetings and outings.

Christine, another Chinese (PhD) student at Carlson, is also learning to drive. How thankful we are that our expertise in teaching driving has not been needed!! Christine’s husband and daughter are moving from China & looking to purchase a home near us. Pray they’ll desire to really grow in Christ & attend church with us.

Chie (Japanese graduate student, working on a second Masters) is growing and maturing in Christ! After 5 years of discipleship she’s feeding herself in the Word, and developing a strong relationship with the Lord. She has helped initiate a Bible study at a State University in Japan where there was no Christian fellowship or feeding! Praise Him!

Naw, from Myanmar, has been quenching his deep thirst as he studies ‘Experiencing God’ with Dennis. Working Thursday-Sunday from 11 PM to Noon plus taking physics and calculus left him no opportunity for church or fellowship this semester. Praise God he will be working Mon-Friday, second shift starting after finals so he can return to church and CSF’s Evensong Worship! Naw, like many students from developing countries, sends most of his paycheck home to support his mom, brothers and sister.

YJ, a piano parent, was third in charge of the student democratic movement. He later realized God led him to visit his parents when the slaughter at Tiananmen Square began. He’s a brilliant medical researcher. He’s familiar with the Bible and has spent time in church but doesn’t have a personal relationship with the LIVING GOD!

April Prayer Requests

• May the Chinese students with whom I’m meeting come to a personal relationship with the Living God.
• N’s need for a job in the Twin Cities. Pray for our friendship to grow, may he be willing to meet weekly with me.
• Pray for”Let’s Talk International’ and events over the summer.
• VBS in August for international students & their families: Pray for Jan and a great response to the Good News.
• May He continue to raise up new monthly commitments from individuals.

April Update - Sharing Jesus and Our Lives

Here is a photo of G, one of Mary Ann’s piano students, and her dad. He is finishing his PhD in Veterinary Science. He’s a professor from Sri Lanka. Thankfully none of their family was affected by the recent Tsunami that devastated so many in their country. G is advancing rapidly in piano lessons and just consumes music.

She asked Mary Ann at Christmas time if it was all right for her to celebrate Christmas even though she’s Hindu. Then she said to Mary Ann, “you’re a Christian!’ Mary Ann prays as she teaches that the love of Christ will shine in her life.

Every month we celebrate birthdays by giving the international students and their families a party at our Monday night ‘Let’s Talk’ dinners. This month G celebrated her sixth birthday and Dennis celebrated his 60th birthday!

If you’re in or near the Twin Cities and would like to attend Let’s Talk, we’d love to have you join us! Email Dennis for directions (heydennis@csf.net).

Here is a committed Chinese husband celebrating his wife receiving her masters degree in accounting. He is going to seminary while working and is a strong witness for Jesus. We were blessed to partner with him when he brought scripture and his testimony to China.

One student from SE Asia said to us, “When I return home, I want you to visit me before you get old and die.” Well, we’re not getting any younger. ☺

This May we’ll be going to visit Anna in Malta, who trusted in Christ before her return home in 1996, then on to Albania to visit Nik (who also believed) and his bride Lizzy, an MK (missionary kid) that Nik met in our weekly international fellowship group.

We’ll also meet with Baris and his bride from Turkey while in Boston on the return leg of our trip. Please pray that the Lord would use us to encourage, minister and witness to these we meet. Pray that God would go before us preparing the way: for wisdom, discernment, provision, health, and safety. Thank you!

March Prayer Requests

1. Praise the Lord for a batch of new homemade quilts from our Fayette Wesleyan Church. Thanks Helen! And Pastor Carl & Debbie for delivery.
2. Praise the Lord for more and more new students attending Let’s Talk International. Pray for opportunities to meet one-on-one.
3. Pray for K.G. and D.’s salvation, both are Hindu post-doc students and piano parents.
4. Also pray for Alick’s (Zambian Christian student) need for an internship.
5. Since Dennis will be 60 on March 15th, we’re planning a trip overseas to visit students who made decisions for Christ in our ministry.
6. Pray for wisdom and additional finance as we plan and pray about this trip in May. Lord willing, we’ll be going to Malta, Albania & Romania.

March Update: Fruit that will Last

Jose (middle of photo) from Honduras has been part of CSF while working on his master’s degree in plant pathology. Last year we invited him to come to the International Bible Giver’s monthly meeting.

The joy, enthusiasm & love he saw in those taking God’s Word to prisons, highways, ethnic and people groups here and around the world grabbed his heart. He’s become a member and courier, distributing Spanish Bibles! On his left is Ana (Honduras) who brought Bastian (France) for the 1st time to Let’s Talk International.

Ying, (Carrie – her American name) from China is working on a MBA in Texas. A co-worker at the U in international ministry informed me she was coming to our suburb for an internship. He asked if we’d be able to provide someone to assist her with housing in her transition time.

God had prepared the heart of our next-door neighbor, Bev Miller, a pastor’s widow and longtime friend. Ying stayed with her for a few days when she arrived developing a warm bond. She went to church with Bev and met Pastor Dale who announced in church her need for furniture.

The Lord provided that very day! I then delivered it with Dale’s help. We even had a quilt Bev had made years ago for our ministry. It was returned by a student going home to a warm country!

Ying’s mom gave her a Bible when she left China. I gave her a Chinese/English New Testament. We are praying she’ll trust in Jesus as her Lord and Savior.