Urbana Stories

I attended Urbana 90. God then led me to Albania, helping two mission organizations disciple Albanians after that, over a space of seven years. Romans 15:20 has stirred me along the way and my Albanian intellectual wife, Eva. I am reading a book by J. Christy Wilson, Jr. tonight here in Philadelphia, PA, which was distributed at Urbana 90. Thanks, Urbana staff, for praying for so many of us. Bob Durham, missions mobilizer in Tenth Pres. Church Philadelphia, PA

I attended Urbana 06'. I didn't really go for missions, I just wanted to experience the mutlicultural worship and prayer. But, I was liberated from things in my life that I though I had overcome but still had me bound where I couldn't really move forward in my life. Now, here I am 1 1/2 years later thanking God for the wholeness he installed there through the worship, prayer, & his voice that was so powerful. I know I've been called to do mission work now I'm free & fulfilling His plans for my life.

I attended Urbana 81 and Urbana 84 where I met my husband. God has taken us to China, and to Turkey. We hope to celebrate our 25th anniversary by attending Urbana 12 as a family. We want our kids, (23,21,18) to experience the presence of God and hear his heart for the world in a way that only Urbana can provide. Urbana didn't just change our lives, it was the birthplace of our family. He spoke to us through every avenue: seminars, plenary sessions, the worship, the books in our packet; the night Billy Graham spoke was our first date.

In Urbana '57 I made a decision to read missionary biographies. I also felt the Lord leading me to work for IVCF. They had been instrumental in leading me to accepting Jesus as Savior and I wanted to serve them. It was at the office in Chicago in 1960 that I realized God was calling me into Wycliffe. I met my husband at my second summer of training and we have served in Wycliffe for 46 years now. It has been a wonderful career and the more I toss my problems and cares on Jesus, the better it gets.

As grandparents, my wife and I attended Urbana09 (and 06) for the great experience it is. Our three daughters and their husbands were involved with IV through college-ECU and V Tech. Very comfortable leading stms with our church and in a great job. Then, an initiation came out of left field. Took a while but it became clear God was calling. We are selling our house and raising support, to be in Kenya with Wycliffe Associates in Sept and meet a critical need as the const super at the new center for translating the Bible into sign for the deaf.

I attended Urbana 2000. The experience was overwhelming. To see for the first time in my life 20,000 people gathering together for time such as that! It is an experience I longed to see and experience again, especially in my own country (South Africa). Freezing as it was I enjoyed every single session, especially worship services. I looked forward each day to hearing the song

I had low expectations when I attended Urbana 09 and thought that the most I'd walk away with was another retreat high. To my surprise, I didn't walk away from Urbana with a blazing fire in my heart for Jesus. I walked away with questions. I was intrigued by the many testimonies I had heard from around the world, and asked myself what I was supposed to do with this biblical case for world missions, which I hadn't felt a personal responsibility to explore before Urbana, even though I had been a Christian for 10 years. Today, I'm on staff with one of the missions organizations I met at Urbana and have a burden to see all nations bowing before Jesus. I'm a mobilizer in the U.S. right now but hope to one day live and work in the slums of Asia, sharing Jesus with the poorest of the poor. I have never encountered another medium that has educated, challenged and equipped me to follow Jesus like Urbana did. The Holy Spirit is doing amazing things through Urbana, and I count that conference as one of the best gifts God has ever given me.

I was in awe that I was a part of this crowd of 20,000 people all worshipping my God at the same time at Urbana 03. The worship team was amazing, and I shared some of the new songs I learned with the worship team on my campus. Hearing from missionaries who have walked the walk of a life in missions all over the world was an inspiration for me who one day wants to do the same, and also an eye opener into the trials that Christians really do face today, not in my country but in many others around the world.

Strange to be called to Urbana 09 only to be called home! As a missions director in a large church, I am preoccupied with mobilizing our congregation on behalf of local and overseas missions. Many missionary families inhabit my waking thoughts. But God used this year's theme to draw me back to my own family. I saw how little of myself I have given them recently, then He gave me His heart for my husband and son, to love them and serve them and be present with them. Lord, help me be obedient to you.

When I was a teenager, my church sponsored me to Urbana 93 Convention. It was the turning point in my life: the Lord has planted a seed of mission in me. The following year, I was a summer missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship; I've also decided to attend a Christian college. In 2004, I’ve graduated from a seminary along with my husband, and we have been actively serving the Lord ever since. We will be taking our youths to Urbana 2009 Convention. We believe and anticipate the Lord will transform the lives of the youths as well!

Where else could I find 19,999 other believers in christ who were about the same age as me that worshipped christ together as a body of believers? Only at Urbana was this possible! What an encouraging scenario. I was strengthen through Urbana by not only my fellow believers, but the wonderful seminars. These seminars felt like a University that had nothing but excellent Professors who had their foundation on Christ. I thank God for this ministry.

This event was life changing for me 17 years ago. I still remember the challenge of "do not wait for God to tell you to go. Go until God tells you to wait". I hold on to that more often than I can remember. 08/31/10

I attended as a radio producer for Moody Broadcasting and was personally impacted by meeting many of the speakers backstage for our radio program "Prime Time America." The depth of my respect for Luis Palau and Billy Graham was heightened by these off-stage encounters -- their transparency, vibrancy, and integrity stand to this day, testimony of lives well lived. Thanks, Urbana!

Going to Urbana 09, I was scared because I was so young. I had recently felt a calling to missions and was still unsure of what was next. While at Urbana, I got to hear other people's stories/experiences and talk to agencies. Going in, I felt hindered by being only 17, but leaving I felt that my age was something that gave me strength. I came home and began planning to do a missions trip over the summer (Chile here I come!) and I began to do missions work in my community to get me prepared for God's next task.

I went to Urbana 09 expecting to receive confirmation for a ministry intern position in Knoxville, Tennessee. Instead, God invited me to follow Him to New Zealand to pursue youth ministry. Nothing I saw at Urbana advertised New Zealand, but God broke my heart for a people I have never met and a country I have never visited. Thank you, Urbana, for providing an environment where the Holy Spirit can move freely and uninhibited! God desires to make all things new in New Zealand, and He has invited me to walk alongside Him!