22 December 2006
For five days, thousands of university students from the United States, Canada, and around the world will soak up teaching and excitement about God's heart for the nations. InterVarsity's Urbana '06 conference promises to be the largest ever, and SIM is gearing up to participate.

Encouraging Students

Delegates from the SIM USA and SIM Canada offices are preparing to talk with hundreds of students in the exhibit hall where many mission organizations will be represented. The SIM delegation will include sending office staff, experienced missionaries, and alumni of short-term missions.

Dave O'Brien, Director of Selection and Training for SIM USA says, "For us in SIM, Urbana is not a game preserve where missionary recruiters bag their limit. Rather we take it as a rare opportunity to meet and relate to the next generation of potential missionaries in a spirit of discipleship."

A missionary in Peru, Chris Conti, is excited to return to Urbana, as a delegate. When she attended the conference in 1990, she signed a commitment card to "seriously look into missions." Now home after her first four-year term, she says, "I pray that we will have lots of opportunities to encourage young people to follow God wherever His path leads."

Getting to Know You

Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from SIM USA director, Dr. Steve Strauss, as he presents an afternoon seminar on "The Changing Face of the Worldwide Church."

If you are attending Urbana, we hope that we will have the opportunity to get to know you. Come visit the SIM booth and, if you live in the U.S., check out the special SIM USA website at www.simusa.org/nudge.

If you are not attending Urbana, please pray for those who are and for the delegates who will be representing SIM. Pray that God will lead each participant to a life of greater commitment to the Gospel and to the nations.