As the school year is starting back up in Des Moines at Drake University Salt DSM threw a welcome to campus party on the first Saturday night that students were back. This party serves a variety of goals but mainly with the intention of helping freshmen connected with our students leaders, thereby welcoming them into a gospel centered community. We were on Drake’s campus all week meeting freshman and helping them as they moved into their dorms and had some incredible conversations and connections made with many students while inviting them all to the party on Saturday night. Some of the gal leaders did some awesome work with chalk and made huge drawings on the sidewalks of Drake letting everybody know where they could come for free pancakes and a party! The party was a huge hit and we are so thankful to God that he brought so many people out to get connected. There were upwards of 100 people at the party playing yard games, eating pancakes, and enjoying some friendly competition. The majority of these were Drake freshman and we cannot wait to see the impacts that the connections made at this party have the rest of the year here at Salt DSM!
Cottage Grove Church had a night of worship to celebrate the two year anniversary of the Church. During worship there was a time of celebration built in that anybody could come up and give a piece of their testimony to celebrate what God had done in their lives and in the life of the church. There were so many amazing stories that stood out but for many one that will stick with them for a while was that of Riley. Riley was a freshman at Drake University in 2017 and came to college ready to experience all that life could offer him. He came excited to get connected with others, play some ultimate frisbee, and get a taste of the typical college life. What Riley did not see coming was the plans that God had in store for him.
Riley met Rudy, the Salt directory in Des Moines, his first day on campus and that instantly began a friendship between the two. Riley and Rudy would meet up weekly to chat about life and faith but often the conversations were not as fruitful as Rudy might hope. Riley was finding himself deeper and deeper into the drinking scene at Drake and didn’t know what to do about it. God continued to use Rudy to speak into his life until Riley finally opened up about his struggles with drinking. As Riley was telling his story he said, “I was confronted with two options, to keep pursuing drinking, or to start following Jesus with everything.” God changed Riley’s life and put him on a new path, one of pursuing him rather than the things this world has to offer. Riley not only will be a connection group leader going into this 2018-2019 school year at Drake, but also went overseas to Malaysia this summer to share the gospel with those who otherwise might not ever hear it. God has done so much in the life of Riley over the last year and we cannot wait to see what he does the rest of Riley’s life!
