Born and raised in Calgary, work brought Cal and Sharon Cheng to Halifax in 2005.
Cal has a job in healthcare, while Sharon homeschools their children, but they sensed that had been brought to Halifax for a purpose beyond work - though they didn’t quite know what it was.
Soon, with a home that is walking distance between two universities, they noticed many international students around them. Over the following years, they regularly opened their home to students, and soon observed a tremendous need and opportunity to reach these students in their own language. Says Sharon, “God began stirring in our hearts and giving us a growing burden to love and bring the kingdom to the international students who have come to Halifax.”
Over the past year, Cal and Sharon have experienced deep personal transformation in their own walks with Christ. After taking the Kairos course in March, they were convicted to fast and pray regularly. As soon as they did this, God showed them how they would reach out to international students, through dreams and visions.
A Dream
Cal received one such dream this past May. In it, there were people handing out beautiful Bibles to international students on their way to university. The students chose the colour and language, and could even get it monogramed with their initials. The idea, Cal recalls, is that the Word was being seeded on campus and God was going to meet people in their time of need through his Word. Because of the bright colour, students would know exactly which book in their home was their Bible when they went to look for it.
Following this dream, Cal and Sharon pursued the idea of getting Bibles into the hands of students in a creative way. They came up with the idea of wrapping Bibles in different colours and patterns of wallpaper, essentially covering them with a really nice book sleeve. In August of this year, they hosted several Bible wrapping parties, where hundreds of Bibles - in various languages - were wrapped as people prayed for the students who would receive them.
Sharon says, “We have noticed that it changes people's perspectives of the Bible when it is so beautiful that you can’t help but touch it.” She continues, “We are simply being obedient to a clear vision that God gave us. All glory be to God - we have been surprised that so many students are willing to take a Bible, and it is amazing to see their faces light up when they realize the Bible is in their language! We pray that God would transform lives through his Living Word on campus.”
Making progress
In a modern day “sowing of seeds,” over 400 Bibles (in various languages) have been given to students since August.
Today, Cal and Sharon long to see a multi-generational, student-empowering church planted on campus that reaches out to international students. God has revealed clearly to them that this church is to be marked by extraordinary prayer, extraordinary giving (through tithes, giving time, offering hospitality, handing out Bibles in different languages) and extraordinary mission. Follow along to track with them on this new journey!
Excited by what God is doing through Cal and Sharon and Catalyst?
You can help!
Pray for them.
Pray for more workers to enter this harvest field here in Halifax but also in all the other campuses across Canada
Pray for more Bibles to be handed out and for those who have received Bibles, that they would experience God as they read it.
Pray that we would continue to be obedient to God’s leading and steadfast in living Christ-centered lives as we hang out with students.
Pray for spiritual breakthroughs on our campuses against the dark forces and for protection and freedom from the deception of the evil one.
Pray for a core leadership team to emerge.
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